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Several people taking family reunion photo injured when staircase collapses

The Bickett family reunion was 18 years in the making, when a two-story deck came crashing down.

COLONA, Illinois -- Thirteen people are recovering Saturday night in nearby Quad City hospitals after a staircase of a two-story deck came crashing down at a family reunion at Scott Family Park campground.

It was the 18-year reunion the Bickett family had been waiting for and Charles Bickett was right at the center.

"We were lining everyone up, height, things like that," says Charles.

The family was attempting to take a family photo of all 75 attendees.  Kemper Bickett was positioned at the front of the photo, waiting for it to be taken.

"He saw the crack and he said it felt like it was going to fall apart," remembers Kemper.

That's when the staircase of the two-story deck came crashing down, piling 30 people on top of one another.

"A lot of screaming, that's what I heard," recalls Charles. "She fell on top of me and a board fell out and landed on her ankle."

A dozen area ambulances took 13 family members on stretchers to nearby hospitals.

"Some parts of me were really nervous, really nervous and scared," Kemper comments.

The Bickett family reunion, 18 years in the making, now one they'll never forget.

"It's something we do only so many years and this one was long overdue," Charles says.

No one had any life threatening injuries.

It's still under investigation as to why the deck collapsed.

A MedForce helicopter responded to the scene - no one was taken in the aircraft.

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