TwitchCon, a semi-annual convention held in San Diego by the video live-streaming platform Twitch, was held on Oct.7-9 focusing on the culture of gaming, and other aspects of the streaming community. However, what was supposed to be a positive and fun gathering of like-minded streamers and fans turned sour when Twitch streamer Adriana Chechik broke her back in two places in a foam pit at the convention. 

The video which was shared on Reddit and other social media platforms details Chechik ending a foam sword fight with gaming streamer “Edybot.” After winning the battle she celebrates by jumping into the pit. Unfortunately unaware of the thin layer of foam supporting her fall, she tumbles into the pit landing on her tailbone. Her tailbone was critically injured and Chechik was rushed to the hospital. After a 5-hour surgery to treat her injuries, the streamer reported that she didn’t receive a personal response from the company. 

Chechik is not the only streamer who was injured by the unsafe pit of foam. Fellow streamer LocVaness dislocated her knee and sprained her ankle while jumping into the pit. She voiced her opinion on the matter, claiming that they heard “absolutely nothing” from either Twitch or Lenovo, who sponsored the pit. Lawyers say it’s not a surprise that the company is staying silent regarding their injuries. 

The pit, which was supposed to be full of foam cubes, was actually just one thin layer of cubes with the solid concrete floor just below. This was not what the two streamers were expecting when they jumped in. 

When asked why they jumped in the pit, many people said that they didn’t want to be painted as the bad guy; they just assumed that it would be safe. Fortunately, the pit was closed after these incidents, and no other major injuries were reported.