St. Johns County Fire Rescue reported an incident yesterday evening where a boat lift attached to a dock on the 300 block of Porpoise Point Drive, Vilano Beach, gave way, resulting in a collapse. The rescue team was called to the scene around 6:30 p.m. where they found several individuals in need of assistance. The report, shared on the fire department's social media, detailed the effort taken to safely reach and evaluate those affected by the accident.
Ground ladders along with marine rescue assets were employed to ensure that individuals could be accessed safely and quickly. In a post on their official Facebook page, the team from St. Johns County Fire Rescue stated that they were able "to safely access and evaluate patients." During the rescue operation, a total of five people were transported to a local hospital, fortunately with only minor injuries reported. The cause of the collapse has not been disclosed as of now.
St. Augustine Fire Department provided mutual aid during the incident, reflecting the collaborative system in place for emergency response teams. Despite the potential for more serious harm, the swift response of St. Johns County Fire Rescue and the aid rendered by St. Augustine Fire Department appears to have mitigated the situation.
As of yet, there has been no announcement on when or if the dock will be repaired or reconstructed, nor has there been comment on potential improvements to prevent similar future incidents.
Further updates are expected as investigations into the cause of the collapse continue. For ongoing reports on the dock collapse and other local incidents, keep following St. Johns County Fire Rescue on their social media channels.
