11 People Hurt When the Walkway to a Maine Lighthouse Collapsed

Eleven people were hurt, at least five badly enough to require hospital attention, after a platform outside a small Maine lighthouse collapsed.

Where is the Lighthouse Located?

Doubling Point Lighthouse is one of the smallest in Maine and sits on the Kennebec River. It was built in 1989 and was automated in 1988, according to New England Lighthouses: A Virtual Guide. It's located just outside Bath, in the town of Arrowsic, and is currently used as an active Coast Guard aid to navigation.

What Happened?

Typically, the grounds are open to be explored, while the lighthouse remains closed to the public. But Saturday, September 9th was Maine Open Lighthouse Day so people were invited to stop by, see the light, and meet Karen and Danny McLean, former Coast Guard keepers at the site. But as the day progressed, witnesses said they heard a loud cracking noise in the early afternoon just before a piece of the platform let go. Several people on the walkway fell to the rocky mud flats below. It was low tide, so there was no water to soften their fall.

How Many People Were Sent to the Hospital?

Of the eleven people injured, WGME-TV reports five were taken to local hospitals. There's no word on how badly they were hurt.

Doubling Point Lighthouse remains closed while an investigation into the cause of the collapse is conducted.

We'll update this story as more details become available.