CINCINNATI – A partial collapse at the site of the citys new casino sent at least 11 people to the hospital with minor injuries, authorities said Friday.
A 30-by-50-foot section of floor collapsed just before 8 a.m. at the site of the Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati under construction downtown, said Lt. Maurice Robinson, a police department spokesman.
A single bay of the facility collapsed as concrete was being poured. All workers were accounted for, said Steve Rosenthal, of casino co-developer Rock Gaming LLC, in a statement.
Roads around the casino were closed by police, and reporters were not allowed close enough to get a look at what had fallen down.
Jessie Folmar, a spokeswoman for Messer Construction Co., said the Cincinnati company was on site trying to learn what happened.
Robinson said 11 injured were taken to hospitals, while fire department spokeswoman Jennifer Spieser said 13 were. She didnt know the nature of the injuries or whether others may have been hurt and treated at the scene.
The casino is being developed by Rock Gaming in partnership with Caesars Entertainment.
The same team is behind a casino project in downtown Cleveland where a garage partially collapsed Dec. 16. A 60-by-60-foot second-level section of the parking deck gave way while concrete was being poured.
No one was injured.
Casino development was touted during a statewide legalization campaign in 2009 for the immediate boost it would give to Ohios economy, particularly through the temporary construction jobs needed to build the four new facilities in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus and Toledo.