A crane collapsed in downtown St. Petersburg during Hurricane Milton’s thrashing winds Wednesday night. The crane fell from the Residences at 400 Central, a 46-story skyscraper being built.
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The City of St. Petersburg made the difficult decision to turn off power at the Northeast and Southwest Sewer Treatment Plants to protect employees and the treatment plants from potential storm surge from Hurricane Milton. pic.twitter.com/TAzlhTTtIr— St. Petersburg, FL (@StPeteFL) October 9, 2024
It left a gaping hole in an office building that houses several businesses. The crane remained crumpled across 1st Avenue South early Thursday, completely blocking the street. The city said in a news release that no injuries have been reported at the site.
St. Pete: City leaders and staff are here in our City's Emergency Operation Center. We are fully activated, tracking #Milton and will keep you updated every step of the way.
Whatever happens next, we're in this together. #WeAreStPete pic.twitter.com/dsBAOuc4W5
— St. Petersburg, FL (@StPeteFL) October 9, 2024
The building damaged by the crane had closed ahead of Milton’s arrival Wednesday. No one was working inside when the crane collapsed. The eight-story, 250,000-square-foot space at 490 First Ave.
#Hurricane #Milton has made landfall near Siesta Key, FL – the 5th US Gulf Coast hurricane landfall this year (Beryl, Debby, Francine and Helene are other 4). This ties 2005 and 2020 for 2nd most Gulf hurricane landfalls on record, trailing only 1886 (6 Gulf hurricane landfalls). pic.twitter.com/ur1CJShb6b
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) October 10, 2024
S consists of three buildings, built in 1924, 1968, and 1988, which are joined together. The National Weather Service said it received reports of multiple collapsed cranes from high winds in St. Petersburg, which is about 50 miles north of Siesta Key, where Milton made landfall.
#Milton's pressure has fallen to 897 hPa – the lowest pressure in an Atlantic #hurricane since Wilma in 2005 (882 hPa). pic.twitter.com/UuUTVSfMOD
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) October 8, 2024
Mayor Ken Welch on Tuesday urged residents who live in buildings next to three construction sites in downtown St. Petersburg and one in the Carillon area to stay alert because of safety concerns with the neighboring high-rise cranes. John Catsimatidis, the CEO of Red Apple Group, which is developing the 400 Central skyscraper, said, “We can confirm one crane cab in the upper section of the mast has fallen.
We are working with city officials and others to assess the situation.”
The city’s building official, Don Tyre, said the three cranes at 400 Central were rated to withstand up to 110 mph winds.
crane collapses amid Hurricane Milton
Other cranes were rated for winds reaching 145 mph, he said.
The Residences at 400 Central is poised to be the highest residential tower on Florida’s Gulf Coast at a height of 515 feet. Michael Kotler, a resident on the 12th floor of the McNulty building in downtown St. Petersburg, said he heard what he thought was thunder around 10 p.m. But it only happened once.
He looked out his window and saw a crane from the 400 Central construction site leaning against the damaged building. By early Thursday, a palm tree lay tangled in the crane’s wreckage. Smoke billowed from the damaged building, the air smelled of gasoline, and alarms blared.
Shattered glass covered the steps. A window outside Karma Juice Bar & Eatery, located on the first floor, was completely blown out. On one of the top floors, window shades blew in the still-whipping wind.
Lights inside the lobby remained on. Bricks lay strewn through the street. Joe Lindquist, 32, of St.
Petersburg, said he knew Hurricane Milton would be severe. But what he saw was still astounding. “I didn’t think it would take down a crane.”
