An active investigation is underway into Tuesday afternoon’s partial collapse of a parking garage at Ascension St. Vincent’s Riverside.
Seventy-five firefighters responded to the call at 12:14 p.m., Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department Chief Keith Powers said.
JFRD’s Urban Search & Rescue used dogs and Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office drones to search for people and no one was found. Powers said he was “pretty confident” everyone was safe, but said a structural engineer will need to come in to deem the garage safe before more searching can be done.
“Until we can finish un-piling some of that stuff and get structural engineers in here to make sure it’s safe, we can’t say 1,000% that everyone is accounted for,” Powers said.
Firefighters and police officers had to help get some people out of the stairwells of the garage. Powers said they weren’t trapped, they just needed help.
Roads in the area of King Street and St. Johns Avenue were closed. JSO Chief Jamie Eason said the only road that will remain closed is the entrance to the emergency room at St. Johns and King, as well as the entrance to the parking garage.
One-hundred and eleven cars, as well as their tag numbers, have been counted in the garage, Eason said.
It will be up to structural engineers to determine when people who have cars inside will be able to get them out, Eason said.
The buildings that are adjacent to the garage will be condemned until the building owner can get a structural engineer to determine the best way to stabilize the structure, Powers said.
The emergency room entrance to Ascension St. Vincent’s Riverside will also be closed, JSO said.
Ascension St. Vincent’s said the ER will remain open and released the following statement:
“Earlier today, the third level of the Chartrand Building parking garage at Ascension St. Vincent’s Riverside collapsed onto the second level. We are working closely with authorities to investigate the scene and will share more information as it becomes available.
“Ascension St. Vincent’s Riverside’s ER remains open. Patients requiring emergency care can enter through the Dillon Building.”
