Riverside Parking Garage Partial Collapse: Responders and Engineers Rally for Safety
Riverside Parking Garage Collapse
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A tense situation unfolded on Tuesday afternoon in Riverside when a section of a parking garage at Ascension St. Vincent’s Riverside experienced a partial collapse. This unexpected incident prompted an immediate response from the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD), with JFRD Chief Keith Powers providing important updates on the situation.
At approximately 12:14 p.m., JFRD sprang into action, mobilizing seventy-five firefighters in response to the emergency call. Their primary mission was to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone potentially affected by the incident.
In a coordinated effort, JFRD’s Urban Search & Rescue team employed specially trained dogs and Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office drones to conduct thorough searches of the affected area. Fortunately, their efforts yielded reassuring results—no individuals were found trapped or injured amidst the rubble. Chief Powers expressed his confidence that everyone involved was safe.
However, safety remained a top priority, and Chief Powers emphasized the necessity of a structural engineer’s assessment to determine the garage’s stability before further search and rescue operations could proceed. He pointed out, “Until we’re able to clear away the debris and have structural engineers assess the situation for safety, we cannot provide absolute certainty that everyone has been located and accounted for.”
Aside from ensuring the safety of those inside the garage, firefighters and police officers also provided assistance to people navigating the stairwells within the structure. While these individuals were not trapped, they required support to exit safely.
In the aftermath of the incident, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Chief Jamie Eason shared details about the road closures in the vicinity. Specifically, the entrance to the emergency room at St. Johns and King, along with access to the parking garage, would remain temporarily closed.
Concerns also extended to the 111 vehicles parked within the garage, including their owners. Eason explained that the timeline for retrieving these vehicles would be determined by structural engineers’ evaluations.
Meanwhile, the adjacent buildings faced condemnation until the building owner could engage a structural engineer to assess and recommend the best stabilization approach for the affected structure.
Eyewitness accounts shed light on the harrowing moments leading up to the partial collapse. Jeffrey Whitmore, who had parked his car on the first floor of the garage, recounted that he was on the third floor, checking in with a nurse around 12:20 p.m., when they suddenly felt the building tremble. Swiftly, they exited the area, witnessing the third floor cascade down onto the second floor. “Everything happened so fast,” Whitmore recalled.
Despite the disruption, Ascension St. Vincent’s Riverside aimed to maintain essential services. While the emergency room entrance was temporarily closed, alternative access routes were provided to ensure patients could still receive vital care.
In a statement released on the day of the incident, Ascension St. Vincent’s Riverside affirmed its commitment to collaboration with authorities during the ongoing investigation. Their primary focus was on assessing the situation and sharing pertinent information as it emerged.
As the investigation continues, Ascension St. Vincent’s Riverside temporarily closed its Cardiology and Podiatry offices, with plans to reschedule appointments at other clinic locations as needed. The hospital remains vigilant and pledged to provide further updates at the appropriate juncture.
This unexpected structural collapse in Riverside serves as a reminder of the importance of swift and coordinated emergency response efforts, as well as the dedication of first responders and experts working diligently to ensure public safety.
By: M Z Hossain, Digital Journalist
