As Hurricane Milton approaches the west coast of Florida, the city of St. Petersburg has issued warnings regarding the safety of tower cranes in the area. With wind gusts expected to exceed 100 mph, there is a significant risk of malfunction for these structures.
The city's website stated that Hurricane Milton is rapidly intensifying offshore and is projected to make landfall with eye wall hurricane force winds directly impacting the St. Pete area. Four construction sites in particular are of concern due to the height and design of the tower cranes present.
Unfortunately, there is insufficient time to dismantle the cranes before the hurricane's projected landfall on Wednesday night. City officials have communicated with the private developers managing the cranes, but due to the specialized nature of crane operations, lowering or securing a tower crane is typically scheduled weeks in advance and cannot be done within the timeframe of an approaching storm.
As an alternative, St. Petersburg is urging residents and businesses near the affected construction sites to either relocate or shelter in place. For those opting to stay put, interior areas near elevators or stairwells are considered the safest locations within buildings.
