Brandon mall sustains flooding, ceiling damage after Milton

Videos began circulating on Instagram Thursday depicting a collapsed ceiling in the Brandon mall and floodwaters creeping through the entrance.

“Brandon mall, done for,” an incredulous voice behind the camera says, as the first video shows a caved ceiling and mess of wooden beams, metal sheets and other roof and siding materials. Another video shows standing water on a tile floor that appears to match the tile used in the Brandon mall, now dubbed Brandon Exchange.

The videos were posted on two local accounts, @realbrandonllc and @realtampa, which collectively have almost 350,000 followers. The videographer didn’t respond to requests for comment Friday.

The Tampa Bay Times tried to confirm what damage had been done to the mall Friday. No official source verified what had happened.

Contractors briefly opened a side door near the mall’s east entrance on Friday, revealing structural damage and a large pile of debris that appeared to match what was captured online.

By the time a reporter arrived at the door to take pictures, it was closed. Security stood at the entrance, warning customers away. They said they weren’t sure when the mall would open again, nor allowed to discuss the damage.

No one from Brandon Exchange responded to emailed requests for comment.

Contractors were also working to drain a quarter-inch of water that had leaked into Claire’s, a jewelry retailer. By the food court entrance, a water line reached about an inch up the wall. Wet floor warning signs were posted around the entrance.

One store was open with its lights on Friday: JCPenney. The mall was otherwise closed until further notice. A generator helped contractors repair damage to other parts.

Outside, a collapsed tree and piles of branches and leaves littered the parking lot, along with a handful of cars. Inside the mall, employees occasionally passed by the doors.

Brandon Powell and Jennifer Nelms, a couple from Riverview, turned away in disappointment when they learned most of the mall was closed. Their power is still out, like it is for tens of thousands of others east of Tampa. They were searching for a hot meal and an electrical outlet.

Hurricane Milton brought the worst effects Powell has seen in his eastern Tampa suburb since he moved there six years ago, he said. This was the first time his power has gone out due to a storm. In his neighborhood, six trees were uprooted. Shingles lay scattered in the street. Nearby streets flooded.

“I told her, ‘let’s at least go to the mall,’” Powell said. “We can at least walk around, get out of our house.”

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