SAN ANTONIO — A night of enjoyment at the Kendall County Fair turned into a nightmare for spectators at Saturday night's rodeo event.
At approximately 9:16, the structure collapsed, sending fairgoers running. Others made their way to the caved-in section to try and help those who were trapped underneath.
A loving grandmother died from her injuries, seven others were hospitalized and dozens more were injured.
Now, the family of 79-year-old Vera Smith is planning her funeral following a tragedy that they say could have been avoided.
“We are so thankful for the outpouring of prayers from the community over the last few days. God called Vera (Nana) home on September 5th. We are devastated by this tragic event that could have been prevented," a family spokesperson told KENS 5. "We want Vera (Nana) to be remembered for the way she led her family with kindness and unconditional love. She was a pillar within the community. She dedicated her life and volunteered countless hours to serving others. She was a woman of deep faith. She will be greatly missed by all those who knew her. Please keep Vera and her family and friends in your prayers today."
City of Boerne officials say the bleachers at the Kendall County Fair Grounds were not inspected and no permits for the construction were ever issued.
For Dr. Adolfo Matamoros, the tragedy at the Kendall County Fair hits close to home.
"It could have been my kids out there," said Matamoros. "I ache for anyone who's kid might have been injured in that tragic loss."
His four children went to Boerne Champion High School, which is located right across the street from the Fair Grounds.
Matamoros also has an eye for structural integrity as a Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA).
"One fatality is one fatality too many," said Matamoros. "Those are the types of things that keep me awake at night."
The paramount question for any bridge, bleacher or building: Is there enough assurance to the public that the structure is safe?
Matamoros says every city has its own rules for inspections.
"When you talk about small county fairs, it's a whole different situation," he explained.
A common oversight in a place with a smaller population, he said, is the durability of old structures.
"In jurisdictions that are a little bit more rural, that would be the case in the City of Boerne where we're not talking about a whole lot of people, a structure that is used maybe for homecoming activities once a year can fall through the cracks."
When bleachers are left outside, weather can weaken them, as it could for any structure.
At the fair, city officials said old bleachers were salvaged to make new ones that included eight VIP sections, a bar and common walkway.
Changing its use could create problems, Matamoros explained, which is why having a professional inspection is essential — especially outside a major city.
"The further away you go from the major centers of population, the harder it is for all those jurisdictions to manage the engineering side of things because there are going to be fewer people and resources to do it," he added. "This is true for the structure we're talking about."
Matamoros pointed to stringent requirements put in place following structural disasters in America. Following the deadly 1967 collapse of the Silver Bridge in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1968 passed. It established a National Bridge Inspection program, including standards still in use today. In 2021, 98 people were killed after the Champlain Towers South comdominium collapsed in Surfside, Florida. The following year, multiple measures were passed by Florida leaders that included new inspection requirements for condos designed to strengthen the long-term health of the buildings and safety for residents.
The City of Boerne is hiring structural engineers to do a report on the failed bleachers. One inspection should be finished by next week and the other within the next three weeks.
In light of the tragedy, the city is reviewing their permitting and inspection processes.