Bubble that covers Cowboys indoor field collapses

Source: WFAA Channel 8

IRVING, Texas -- An air-supported practice bubble that covers a practice at the Dallas Cowboys practice facility collapsed during a strong thunderstorm on Saturday.

There were no reports of injuries. An ambulance was seen arriving at the scene. Emergency medical technicians were seen entering portions of the bubble that were still standing.

Irving fire-rescue officials ordered all reporters and team personnel away from the immediate area.


http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/05/cowboys-indoor-facility-collapses-during.html

UPDATE: According to a Cowboys spokesman, at least four members of the team's support staff are being taken to the hospital. All players and coaches are believed to be safe. Rescue personnel is still searching through the debris.





Read more: http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa090502_lj_cowboys.11e43627.html

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TV news is saying that there were people in the bubble covered structure when it collapsed.

Dallas Morning News has a headline banner but no article yet so I provided the news channel link.

Here's DMN front page:

www.dallasnews.com


Local tornado sirens just got done alarming where I'm at (north of Dallas) so there is no telling if it was straight line winds that caused this or something more in Irving.

One of the fastest and strongest storms I've seen in a while. Hope you are well.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/050209dnmetcowboyshp.1232041e.html


Rescue personnel are still searching the debris, but initial reports put the number of injured at six to 10 people.

Mayor Herbert Gears said one person was in critical condition.



WFAA has video from inside the building of before, during and after the collapse

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa090502_lj_cowboys.11e43627.html

this is out at the practice facility in the Valley Ranch development area in Irving...
I thought at first it meant the Stadium in Irving, but then of course...it's May, they wouldn't be at the Stadium.

Pretty nasty storms today...but bad thunderstorms are pretty much the norm in North Texas.
We need the rain, but we never just get a nice gentle rain. Always freaking cats and dogs.

Hope everyone is ok.

but what is a bubble structure used for? Football is an outdoor game held in all types of weather that they dress for. Why would they need cover in such a warm environment as Texas. It's early in the season, can't they take a break during a rain storm and come back out on the field when the weather blows over?

is what the reports are saying.
Problem is with TX spring weather, if they were to wait for "good" non-rainy weather, there would be no training camps or anything else. The new stadium is not done, the "old" one has the famous hole in the roof...
Apparently this same structure had roof damage last year when bad weather came thru, it was repaired. This time, the whole structure came down.

It's been a reallllyy bad weather day around here today, 3rd round of horrible storms just started, lightening seems to have hit something behind the nursing home that is outside my back window, my street is now a stream, and the tree in my front yard is now in the middle of it's own pond.
Tornado sirens went off this afternoon (right around the time the structure collapsed in Irving).

I HATE the lightening part of it...my house took a direct hit a few years back, luckily it came down the chimney and the fire was contained but we still had $12,000 worth of multiple types of damage.

I didn't know they could do that in a plastic bubble, and wasn't aware of there was a new stadium to replace one with a hole in the roof.

Thanks for the explanation. Hope all is well.

to work out timing and practice plays without the burden of the elements. This is my favorite team in all of sports, but this could have been much worse. I really hope everyone recovers quickly.

practice facility. Sorry, but its not the good old days anymore in football.

Cowboys special teams coach Joe DeCamillis suffered broken vertebrae in his back, according to his father-in-law, one-time NFL coach Dan Reeves.

No players were seriously injured in the collapse, which happened about 3:30 p.m., but three other Cowboys personnel were hurt: assistant athletic trainer Greg Gaither, who suffered a broken leg; college scouting coordinator Chris Hall, whose arm was injured; and scouting assistant Rich Behm, who was in critical condition with unspecified injuries. All remained hospitalized Saturday night.

Kicker David Buehler suffered a minor concussion, gashes in his forehead and right knee in addition to having skin ripped off his ear.

He had exited the facility through a side door when he was hit by a pole. He crawled to safety and then looked back.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/050209dnmetcowboyshp.1232041e.html