This isn't the first time a pier at UW-Madison has collapsed and sent people into the lake

The Labor Day collapse of a pier just off the University of Wisconsin-Madison Memorial Union Terrace wasn't the first time a UW pier has plunged people into Lake Mendota.

It's actually the second in less than 20 years.

During UW-Madison's first Giant Pumpkin Regatta in October 2005, Madison media outlets reported a larger-than-expected crowd watching on a pier caused the structure to buckle, sending about 20 spectators into the lake.

Derek Montgomery saw it happen. A student at the time, he was on assignment photographing the event for the Badger Herald, one of the university's student newspapers. He remembered joking with a Wisconsin State Journal photographer about the pier potentially collapsing because it was so old.

Between 60 and 80 people stood on the pier observing students paddling around in pumpkins.

Montgomery said he stood just one one plank behind where the collapse occurred. A boat brought him and his camera gear back to shore. (The State Journal photographer wasn't as lucky, falling into the water and damaging her camera equipment.)

No injuries were reported in the 2005 incident.

"For the most part, people laughed it off because a pumpkin regatta is a little ridiculous and everyone walked away fine," Montgomery told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Afterwards, UW-Madison said the Wisconsin Union would conduct a full investigation and replace the dock.

"We will take it seriously," a university spokesperson told the Herald at the time. "We will take a look at it right away and see what we have to do to ensure people are safe on the piers."

Montgomery didn't remember seeing any sign near the pier informing the public about a capacity limit, and it's the sort of detail he would have photographed.

Memories of the 2005 collapse came flooding back when he saw photos of between 60 and 80 people crowded onto the pier Monday afternoon and then falling into the water.

The Monday collapse caused minor injuries to about two dozen people, police said. One person was hospitalized with a non-life threatening injury. Five others were treated by paramedics at the scene. The others hurt did not require treatment.

The pier is owned by the university and was scheduled to be removed for the season on Tuesday.

UW-Madison officials declined Tuesday to answer questions about the age of the pier, whether the hospitalized student has been released and if there were a capacity limit and signs publicizing it. The university said it is conducting an investigation.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: UW Madison pier collapse is second in 20 years