Blocksidge Bleachers Cleared After Injury Saturday

A Marblehead boy was transported to the hospital for a knee injury after a bench-seating plank broke at the top of the Blocksidge Field bleachers in Swampscott Saturday at the powderpuff football game between Swampscott and Marblehead High School seniors.

Ambulance attendants checked out the well being of two other Marblehead fans — also believed to be students — who were watching the game where the accident took place, said Swampscott Fire Lt. Sheila Scranton.

They refused medical treatment, the lieutenant said.

The boy who was transported was placed in a neck brace and on a backboard but did not lose consciousness and his injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, the fire lieutenant said.

It is unclear whether the three fans fell to the ground. The bench-seating plank that broke was at the top of the bleachers.

Swampscott police cleared the jam-packed stands after the accident as a safety precaution. 

The fans then ringed the field, watching from the sides and the back of the end zones.  

Police stretched yellow caution tape around the area where the bench broke. The visitors-side bleachers are on the left as you enter Blocksidge's main entrance. 

Swampscott Department of Public Works Director Gino Cresta was working the yardage markers along the side of the field when the accident took place, sometime late in the third quarter, he said.

The incident is being reviewed by town officials, the DPW director said.

Selectmen, the town administrator and the DPW director are expected to meet and discuss the incident, he said.

Patch has a call in to the Swampscott Board of Selectmen Chairman Jill Sullivan and will report additional information when it's available.

This was the last game of the season at Blocksidge Field, the DPW director said.

The visitors stands were inspected by an engineer before the season started, and only about half of them were certified for use, according to an earlier Patch article.

Several thousand people were at the game Saturday and many people were standing in the bleachers and watching the game.