Six kids hurt when stand collapses at Amstelveen baseball club

Six pupils sustained relatively minor injuries when a small stand collapsed on the grounds of the Amstelveen baseball and softball club De Vliegende Hollander on Tuesday morning. Two of the pupils went to the hospital, one with an ankle injury and one complaining about their back, the police said to NH Nieuws.

The grandstand, several meters wide and several layers high, collapsed at around 8:50 a.m. and ended up flat on a sports field. The children who were sitting in the stands landed on the field with a blow.

An NH Nieuws reporter at the scene said the kids involved are from the bridge class, the class between primary- and secondary school, at Keizer Karel College. They had their gym lesson at the club this morning. One of the gym teachers said he was shocked but also relieved. "It could have been a lot worse."

The municipality of Amstelveen will take a closer look to determine whether an official investigation is needed. The other gym lessons scheduled at the club today will continue as planned, the reporter said.

De Vliegende Hollander is responsible for maintaining the stands, a spokesperson said to NH Nieuws. "The stands are checked every year and maintained if necessary." There was no reason to think that the construction was unstable, he said. "We hope the children are doing well."