NEW VIDEO: Harbor Freight ceiling collapses, woman caught under rubble

Writer: Emma Heaton
Published: Updated:
Footage of ceiling collapsing onto woman (CREDIT: WINK News)

New video shows the moments a roof fell on a woman, as her husband and child — steps ahead of her– barely escaped the collapse.

The video shows the roof start to come down. People begin to run, but the woman was stuck underneath, and people ran out of stores to try and get her help.

WINK News brought this to you as breaking news Tuesday when the roof at the Harbor Freight store in North Fort Myers came down and trapped the woman.

Three men came and lifted the ruins to get her out.

The woman was taken to a hospital by ambulance, and her brother told WINK News she was OK but had two breaks in her leg.

Wednesday the business remained closed and asked customers to go to their Fort Myers location.

The video shows the woman walking out of Harbor Freight at the absolute worst time. Within seconds, the roof pierces through the store’s awning.

“Her right leg was trapped under the thing. Thankfully, it didn’t land all the way on top of her. She was in pain. She was screaming,” said Luke Romano, one of the people who helped lift all the roofing rubble off the woman to free her.

“I’m a little shaken up,” said Romano.

Romano and everyone else who witnessed the collapse or came here and saw the store closed sign, are wondering how could this have happened and why.

Sutter Roofing confirmed to WINK News this property was damaged during Hurricane Ian. They fixed it and records show the repairs passed inspection in May of this year.

That was just six months ago, but something obviously went wrong.

A Lee County spokeswoman sent the following statement: “The property owner ultimately will be required by the county to repair the damage and meet current Land Development Code for the structure.”
     

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