DeSantis to give news conference outside Tampa Bay Times building where crane fell

TALLAHASSEE —Gov. Ron DeSantis will deliver a news conference at the downtown St. Petersburg site where a construction crane fell during Hurricane Milton and crashed into an office building that houses the headquarters of the Tampa Bay Times.

DeSantis will speak in front of the office building, 490 First Ave. S, at 11 a.m. today. He will be joined by Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie and Major General John D. Haas, the adjutant general of Florida.

The crane that fell amid Hurricane Milton’s strong winds was from 400 Central, the 46-story condominium tower under construction nearby. The city of St. Petersburg said no injuries were reported at the site, and no one from the Times was working inside at the time.

On Tuesday, ahead of Milton making landfall, St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch warned residents who lived in buildings next to three downtown construction sites with cranes to relocate because of concern over the cranes toppling down.

A city official said the cranes at 400 Central were rated to withstand up to 110 mph winds, and that one of the crane’s arms, about 100 feet long, snapped off in a wind gust.

The governor’s news conference will be streamed as connection allows on thefloridachannel.org or the governor’s Facebook and X pages.

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