Children recovering from wall's collapse

Six of the seven children who were hurt after an 8-foot climbing wall fell at a church camp Saturday morning have been released from the hospital.

A seventh child broke an ankle and arm and is recovering.

Glacier Camp and Conference Center’s Interim Director Steve Edwards said six children had cuts, scratches and bruises. All were treated and released Saturday evening from St. Joseph Hospital in Polson and Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

The seventh child, a 13-year-old boy who is Edwards’ grandson, broke an ankle and arm during the accident. The Lynnwood, Wash., boy is recovering from surgery and doing well, Edwards said.

Two of the seven children, ages 11 and 13, are Edwards’ grandsons. The Inter Lake was initially informed that eight children were injured.

The injured boy’s parents came to Montana from their northern Seattle suburb because of the accident, Edwards said.

There were one or two children on the wall when it began crumbling, Edwards said. The rest were nearby when the wall fell on them. The injured boy was near the wall when it fell, his brother told Edwards.

Forty children were at the 2.5-day youth retreat, which started Friday night. All of the children who remained at the camp wanted to stay until the camp finished at noon Sunday. Some of those with minor injuries returned and finished the camp, said Edwards, who has worked at the camp for seven months.

Except for three children who came from Washington, the rest of the children attend churches in western Montana.

Glacier Camp and Conference Center is a Presbyterian-affiliated camp located six miles south of Lakeside next to Flathead Lake.