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City of Fernandina Beach working to removed damaged gangway after collapse during July 4 fireworks

Collapsed gangway at Fernandina Harbor Marina
Collapsed gangway at Fernandina Harbor Marina Collapsed gangway at Fernandina Harbor Marina (City of Fernandina Beach)

FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. — The City of Fernandina Beach is sharing new details about a gangway that collapsed at Fernandina Harbor Marina during the July 4 fireworks show.

Emergency responders, including the Fernandina Beach Police Department and Fire Department, quickly arrived on the scene to address the situation.

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Despite early false reports of an active shooter and a missing child, officials confirmed that no one fell into the water and there were no serious injuries.

“Our number one job is keeping residents safe,” City Manager Sarah Campbell said in a news release. “We are grateful there were no serious injuries and that our first responders acted swiftly to secure the area.”

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The City said Event organizers, Light Up Amelia Inc., have hosted the Fourth of July celebration since 2012 without prior incident.

This year’s celebration attracted larger-than-expected crowds due to the holiday falling on a long weekend and new traffic patterns along Front Street, the City said.

Eleven individuals were evaluated at a triage site established at City Hall, with only one person requiring minor first aid.

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Following the incident, the City engaged an engineering firm to assess the gangway structure and plan next steps.

Marine contractors are working on a proposal for removing the damaged gangway from the Fernandina Harbor Marina.

City staff held a post-incident meeting, which resulted in several actionable items to ensure incidents like this during special events do not happen again.

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