Bradenton fire chief says timing prevented injuries in roof collapse
Jul 26, 2026
A roof collapse at an assisted living facility in Bradenton forced the evacuation of 157 residents Saturday night, according to Manatee County Public Safety officials. No injuries were reported.The collapse happened around 6 p.m
. Saturday at Aviata at Bradenton Villas, located just off Manatee Avenue. The first call reported that part of the building's roof had collapsed in the dining hall.Bradenton Fire Chief Tim Greer said staff had already shut down the dining area due to a water leak before the collapse occurred."They were aware of a water leak, and it shut down the area that collapsed, so there are no reported injuries, thankfully," Greer said.WATCH: Bradenton fire chief says timing prevented injuries in roof collapse Bradenton fire chief says timing prevented injuries in roof collapseGreer described the scope of the collapse as significant."I'd say, you know, a 100 by 100 area, you know, conservatively, you know, and then that affects truss systems in other areas," Greer said."Definitely it was a good thing that the timing of it that nobody was in there in the dining room," Greer said.All 157 residents were evacuated to other sister facilities.Questions remain about the future of the building and what comes next for families whose loved ones were relocated.This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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