‘Mansion party’ guests broke windows to get out: organizer
Posted May 5, 2014 6:52 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Guests at a dangerously overcrowded mansion party in Brampton shattered windows to escape the claustrophobic confines of the home, one of party’s organizers told CityNews on Monday.
Alistair Colville said about 300 people were expected at the residence on Stanley Carberry Drive, near Goreway Drive and Mayfield Road, but when those numbers dramatically swelled the party went from the place to be — to the place to flee.
“It got more and more out of control,” the teen admitted. “Everyone was trying to get out of the house as fast as they could.”
“People weren’t blatantly trying to destroy the house, but…(I’ve heard) that people were smashing windows to get out.”
Police say nearly 2,000 people showed up after the party was promoted heavily on Twitter with the hashtag #mansionparty.
Peel Const. Thomas Ruttan told CityNews.ca that police were aware of the social media promotion and advised the homeowners to remove the invites. They failed to do so, and an endless stream of young people started showing up.
That prompted a huge police response, with about 60 units, including canine, tactical, forensics and road safety, rushing to the scene.
Const. Ruttan said an investigation is ongoing.
Meanwhile, a legal expert told CityNews on Monday that the home’s owners could have been hit with a “multi-million dollar” lawsuit if someone was seriously injured.
Thomas McKinlay, an injury lawyer at TRM Law, said the party was particularly problematic because the home was unfinished.
“When you invite anyone into your home, you are always taking a risk,” he said. “But if your house is under construction you are increasing the risk.”
“Everything about (the party) just screams negligence.”
“(The homeowner) is basically responsible for any foreseeable injuries that occur at your premises, whether you have two people or 2,000.”
The sheer number of people on hand, not to mention the use of alcohol, could have left the homeowners liable to individual suits, or possibly a class action lawsuit if several people were hurt in something like a balcony collapse, he said.
“It just seems lucky that no one was seriously injured,” McKinlay said.
Photos in above story courtesy of Harrison Dan
