Eighteen-year-old University of Wisconsin freshman Sean Weas fell from a balcony during a house party at a College Court apartment Friday night, and after two nights in the hospital he has been released with extensive injuries.

Madison police and fire units arrived at the 900 block of College Court around midnight. Alcohol is said to be a factor in the fall. Weas had non-life threatening head injuries and was admitted to UW Hospital, according to a release.

No one saw the fall happen, according to a friend of Weas who visited him at the hospital soon after the incident occurred and wishes to remain anonymous. He said Weas fell off the balcony onto his back and hit his head.

Weas suffered a hairline fracture of the skull and broke a bone in his neck but Weas does not have any permanent damage or nerve damage, Weas’ friend said. He added Weas is in “rough shape,” but is able to walk around.

Sue Crowley, director of Policy Alternatives Community Education, said unsupervised settings such as house parties, especially parties where the host is drinking, are not safe settings for students.

“The whole atmosphere of the house party is one of unrestricted, unsupervised drinking,” Crowley said.

Crowley said students who are going to house parties should go with someone they know and agree to look after each other. Students can protect one another by making sure their friends don’t go anywhere by themselves, she added.

“[House parties] can be dangerous situations for students if they don’t have someone keeping an eye on them or if they are not familiar with the house and its physical layout,” Crowley said.

Last August, 18-year-old UW student Jason Gratzl fell from a second-floor balcony on Mifflin Street. The incoming freshman was admitted to the UW Hospital and was listed in critical condition for some time. Gratzl fell when leaned over the balcony to vomit and lost his balance. Four months after his fall, Gratzl began to learn how to walk and speak again.