Tampa Bay Times continues publishing amid Milton crane collapse, blocking newsroom access
Despite facing a significant obstacle with a crane collapse during Hurricane Milton, the Tampa Bay Times has remained steadfast in its commitment to delivering news. The incident resulted in a gaping hole in the St. Petersburg office building where the newsroom is located, but Editor Mark Katches reassured that their operations have not been impacted.
The crane collapse, a visible symbol of Milton’s destruction, prompted Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to hold a news conference at the scene. The building housing the Tampa Bay Times newsroom was closed during the hurricane due to a lack of backup generators, ensuring that no employees were harmed.
The Times Publishing Co. had previously owned the building but sold it in 2016, with the news organization now occupying it as one of several tenants. Most journalists covering the hurricane were already working remotely or at a designated hub in Wesley Chapel, situated about 25 miles away from Tampa.
Katches expressed concerns about the potential water damage to equipment inside the newsroom and acknowledged that a return to the physical newsroom is uncertain. Despite the challenges, he remained hopeful that the newspaper would eventually secure a space where the team could reunite for work.
The Tampa Bay Times, serving over 3.3 million residents in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area, has a history of resilience, having won two Pulitzer Prizes during the COVID-19 pandemic while staff worked remotely. As the news industry adapts to the modern world, the newspaper continues its commitment to delivering vital information to its readers.