JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Part of a fishing dock sits at the bottom of the St. Johns River after a tropical storm brought heavy rain and wind to Jacksonville.
Action News Jax is investigating why Tropical Storm Hermine may not be the only reason behind the dock collapse at the Lions Club Park in Arlington.
“I just spent half the morning cleaning out my buckets and cast net thinking I was going fishing,” fisherman Kenneth Huber said. “I come out here and the dock's in the water.”
Tape is on the dock to keep people off and the ramp completely underwater.
Witnesses say the damage may have been caused by a barge they say was moored to the dock.
“Like a house of cards it fell,” Shawn Gorman said. “When I saw what happened to the dock, I was floored,”
Gorman said he said he has been fishing and shrimping at the dock for 18 years.
He posted a picture of the dock to Action News Jax’s Facebook page.
Jason Mark also fishes at the park. He said a barge was moored to the dock before the tropical storm hit Florida.
He said it had 3 ropes tied to the dock
“I believe the barge damaged the dock,” Mark said.
A local Facebook page called Jacksonville Ramp Watch also reported seeing a barge tied to the dock on Sunday.
A witness told Action News Jax off camera that he saw and heard the dock collapse Sunday afternoon and saw a barge in the area.
“I can’t believe someone would do that,” Gorman said. “What did you think was going to happen?”
Action News Jax reached out to Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Florida Wildlife Commission and City of Jacksonville and is waiting to learn the official cause of the collapse.
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