Canwest News reports: Three people were taken to the hospital Wednesday afternoon, when an overcrowded back-porch sundeck came crashing down during a Jewish holiday celebration at a home in Vancouver.

Capt. Gabe Roder of Vancouver Fire and Rescue said a large group was on a second-storey balcony when support beams let go, causing the balcony to swing down at the private home.

“Apparently there was a gathering on this back deck with about 30 people on it,” Roder said, adding most of the people were older females. “Basically, one of the posts gave way and collapsed” said Roder.

“So the deck didn’t come (down) like a guillotine. It came down like a hinge. And in the process of coming down, the people on the deck all slid off of the deck landing, on top of each other and a substantial amount of cuts and scratches happened. But there were no serious injuries.”

Three people were brought to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Roder said the balcony wasn’t unsafe, but rather overcrowded.

The group was celebrating the Jewish day of Sukkoth, in which the faithful take meals in a three-sided structure.

One resident of the house said everyone is fine. “Thank God everybody is OK.”