MELBOURNE, Fla. — A strong afternoon storm in Melbourne caused street flooding and a partial roof collapse at a local recreation center.
According to a spokesperson with the city of Melbourne, 20 people were inside the Joseph N. Davis Community Center when the intense storm came through Tuesday afternoon.
Luckily, all 20 people including the children inside, made it out safely.
“I heard thunder and I heard a big boom and then things just started coming down slowly,” said Romello Lakes, who was inside when the roof collapsed.
Lakes told Channel 9 he often spends time with friends inside the Recreation Center playing basketball.
The eleven-year-old said he was playing pool when the storms rolled through. He ran for cover and had to leave his backpack behind when the roof came down.
“It sounded like, A whole bunch of water just came straight down,” said Lakes, I just ran out of the room and inside the gym.
Over 4 inches of rain fell in the city of Melbourne causing flash flooding that left some cars stalled near Babcock St. and Southgate Blvd Tuesday afternoon.
A city spokesperson said the drains in the area quickly became overwhelmed with the heavy downfall.
Life-long Melbourne resident Benjamin Alan Horne Sr. lives near the community center.
“It is the place for the kids in the community,” said Horne, “you know how kids like to come together like they go tomorrow. The Rec is something similar.”
On Tuesday, Channel 9 crews noted green trucks pull up outside the center with Servpro crews already working to assess the damage.
The city says the community center will stay closed indefinitely as that repair work continues.
Events scheduled at the center will be cancelled, rescheduled or postponed.
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