At least 60 University of Wisconsin students fall into the lake as the pier collapses

According to officials and dramatic footage, dozens of University of Wisconsin-Madison students fell into a lake near campus when a pier they were on collapsed beneath them.

The Memorial Union Terrace pier on Lake Mendota folded into the lake, sending an estimated 60 to 80 students into the water Monday afternoon on Labor Day, UW-Madison police said. according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

video of the moment shows the pier collapsing at one point before other parts also fall down like a row of dominoes.

“I reached out to this one girl and we were like, ‘Oh my God.’ Did that really just happen?’”, student Gabrielle Willbrandt said WMTV. The newcomer was one of many standing on the pier as it went down.

At least 25 people suffered minor injuries, but only one person was taken to hospital, police said, according to the Journal Sentinel.

Five people received treatment at the site, the others did not require treatment.

The pier was due to be removed Tuesday for the season, authorities said.

“My friend and I, who I was swimming with, heard a loud noise and the whole dock collapsed,” said college student Nicole Mitchell said WISC.

“There were dozens and dozens of students just sunbathing or jumping in the lake or talking to their friends, and all of a sudden it all gave way.”

The students swam back to shore with their phones in the air to avoid getting wet, Mitchell said.

An investigation into the collapse is underway.