An 18-year-old male fell from a balcony on the 500 block of Mifflin Street Saturday night as the annual block party came to a close. Alcohol is said to be a factor in the accident, according to a police release.

Madison Police officers arrived at the Mifflin Street house slightly before midnight. The male was taken to a local hospital, although his current condition is unknown, the release said.

According to Sgt. Dave McCaw, prior to Saturday, Officer Tony Fiore prepared the Special Events Team for a potential balcony fall or collapse of a balcony during the Mifflin Street Block Party.

“His main objective was to get a good discussion going so everyone on the SET team was prepared if this happened,” McCaw said. “Fiore was really on the ball. We need to be prepared.”

Fiore researched an incident in which a second-story balcony collapsed in Chicago killing 12 people during a party in 2003, McCaw added.

“The Madison Police Department has been prepping for what-ifs. We need to be ready and do the best job,” McCaw said.

Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said although he is not sure whether the balcony accident on Mifflin Street this weekend was serious or not, he knew police had left Mifflin Street around 10 p.m. Saturday night.

“When it happened, there were no cops or emergency personnel in the neighborhood,” he said. “They had left approximately two hours before the young man apparently fell.”

However, there were no visible house parties going on when the police officers left the block party, Verveer said, adding there were few people outside probably due to the “chilly” weather.

The city of Madison and Mifflin Street have seen more than one balcony fall over the past year.

University of Wisconsin freshmen Sean Weas fell from a College Court apartment’s balcony in January and former UW freshmen Jason Gratzl fell from the balcony at 453 West Mifflin Street in August.

The balcony Gratzl fell from was raised approximately a foot higher before the Mifflin Street Block Party.