Tornado debris collection begins in South Patrick Shores

SOUTH PATRICK SHORES, Fla. – Brevard County has contracted an excavations company to collect storm debris in South Patrick Shores starting Wednesday, where an EF1 tornado touched down last week.

The National Weather Service in Melbourne issued a tornado warning for the South Patrick Shores area just after 5 p.m. on June 7. The tornado touched down around 5:20 p.m. near the intersection of Lighthouse Landing Street and South Patrick Drive, packing wind speeds between 90-100 mph, according to the NWS.

Damage was dealt to dozens of homes, with the majority reported in the South Patrick Park neighborhood. No injuries were reported.

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Melbourne-based Doug Connor Inc. will focus debris collection efforts on 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th streets along with Albatross, Seagull, Egret, Herron and Flamingo drives, according to the county.

Vegetative debris will get picked up first — such as tree limbs and bushes — before crews can move on to construction and demolition debris. The county asked that debris be separated into distinct piles, adding vegetative debris should not be bagged.

Since last week, some neighbors have hired private cleaning crews.

Cecilio Morales with ASAP Rubbish Removal called cleaning up a process coming together little by little.

“As long as the town’s helping out, and we’re doing the best we can,” he said while removing a roof that blew into another yard.

The county asked neighbors not to put their debris piles in front of lights, power poles, mailboxes or fire hydrants, and to also avoid low-hanging wires, tree overhangs, or against any property that could be damaged by pickup.

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