Field Trip Of Horror (Cave Creek Disaster)

The in-depth story of the Cave Creek Platform Collapse Disaster 1995. A viewing platform hangs 130 feet over one of New Zealand's natural wonders, offering unparalleled canyon views.
But for a group of young, enthusiastic students, it’s the last thing they ever see.
How does a field trip turn into one of the country’s most notorious disasters?

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Footage used with permission:
All footage is used under fair use policy.

We reveal the world's darkest and greatest disasters all based on true stories.
This disaster documentary is inspired by the fantastic "Fascinating Horror".

[nightstar]

It is terrifying to think how many other tourist sites could be potential death traps due to lack of maintenance or unqualified builders

[TileGuyJesse]

"I felt the platform flexing. Didnt' seem right to me"
"Ok, I'll take a group of students out on it tomorrow."

[nyxspiritsong]

Props to the student who ran 5 miles to get help.

[HumbleAshe]

This kind of stuff is why I’m always hesitant about stepping on hanging platforms at parks or other places: my body just gets all heavy with the feeling I might fall or, if it’s flimsy, the whole thing might collapse.

[Dirtridercrazy]

I just hate the fact that in all human history, it takes the loss of life before anybody learns anything and that is ridiculous

[jaymogrified]

I don’t understand though why O’Dea took the group onto the platform when he’d been specifically warned that something was wrong and that he needed to inspect it

[FoxDragon]

Jeeze, I work in construction and I would NEVER even consider designing any structure open to the public whose failure could result even in minor injury, let alone participate in actually building something intended to cantilever over a significant dropoff that was not designed by a licensed engineer and properly inspected by the appropriate AHJ.

The fact that someone was just like "yea, I barely have any woodworking experience at all, I should totally design a viewing platform for students to look out over a giant chasm!" is the absolute height of irresponsibility and arrogance. Worse still is that the rest of his coworkers just went along with the idea.

[andrefiset]

My dad, a carpenter, died from a fall at a jobsite, he said shortly before this wooden building was a deathtrap.

[Daemonarchk]

It's so sad how often a simple "nah, it would be fine" cost so many lifes...

[intothemystic]

Post traumatic amnesia is probably a blessing in my opinion

[danr]

I built a deck on our house. The very detailed plans had to be approved by the building inspectors office. The holes depth had to be inspected. When finished it had a final inspection. The limit for the number of people was the most people that would fit.

[benmcreynolds]

As someone who has done 6 yrs of work with a contractor doing construction/remodeling, etc. It's terrifying how poor the quality & safety measures were. It's like they didn't even considered just how serious & important a structure like that was in a location like that? When people visit places like that, the sad truth is most of us trust that whatever is in a place like that is there because it was done right & they approved it.. So that's what makes this extra messed up

[FreshTillDeath]

As a hiker, this is probably the last thing you ever expect to have happen to you. How awful. Shoutout to the friend that ran 5 miles in under an hour for help.

[mikedawolf]

People saying that the kids were joking about the platform being rickety and it could fall at that moment and then it happening sounds like something straight out of Final Destination

[annakeye]

I will never forget this happening. I used to live on the coast and had spent a lot of time in the Punakaiki area. I remember a friend of mine saying they wouldn't get on the damned thing because it was nailed and not bolted. It was a pretty typical west coast attitude at the time. If you raised concerns, then you were called a 'party pooper' and didn't know what you were talking about. There was a very "she'll be right" attitude that I found shocking. Those people should never have died.

[forestpepper]

A platform collapsed under me, with no serious injuries, back in 1987. My college had put up a temporary wooden platform, about 3 feet off the ground, so students could watch an outdoor movie [or some such activity]. I think the platform was because the ground was wet and muddy. The platform was maybe 20x20, or about 400 square feet, with maybe 100 students standing on it. Suddenly, the entire platform just dropped straight down onto the ground. Everybody was shocked, but I don't recall anyone seriously injured, fortunately. When we step into/onto manmade structures, we tend to assume they were built by qualified engineers. Sadly this is not always the case.

[tedsmith]

O'Dea, knowing there were concerns about the platform, happily led the party onto the platform and to their deaths, without checking the integrity in any way.. That is just criminal stupidity.

[donbrashsux]

What’s amazing is this building crew actually worked to complete the platform knowing there were only a few skewed nails anchoring the whole thing with a massive drop below ..

[Rowganlife]

These people had NO business building that cantilevered platform...nuts

[cremedelacreme]

RIP to all, especially Catherine. I lived 4 doors down from her in Pahiatua, They were all so excited about this adventure, Sadly inexperienced workmanship cost the lives of so many.