Hurricane Milton Rips Roof Off Tropicana Field Shelter; No Injuries Among 10,000 First Responders

Oct 10, 2024, 04:39 AM

High winds from Hurricane Milton severely damaged the roof of Tropicana Field, home of Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays, on Wednesday night. The stadium, located in St. Petersburg, Florida, was being used as a staging area and shelter for up to 10,000 first responders, utility workers, and National Guard troops during the storm. Videos show the fabric roof, made of translucent, teflon-coated fiberglass, being shredded by the hurricane's winds, although the roof's structure remains intact. Officials reported that they were in contact with those inside the stadium and that there were no injuries. Hurricane Milton made landfall around 8:30 p.m. as a Category 3 storm near Sarasota, Florida, causing widespread damage in the area.