Cocoa Beach Pier closed after microburst damages awning, injures 3

COCOA, Fla. — The Cocoa Beach Pier remains closed Friday after a microburst blew an awning off the roof and injured three people, fire rescue officials said.

The three people suffered minor injuries when the awning came off the roof over the bar on Thursday, officials said.

"It hit me and my friend and covered me completely. I had to crawl over it and it broke my surfboard," said Benjamin Francis, who was injured when the awning collapsed.

Crews accessed the pier Friday and said it is structurally sound, but the Boardwalk Bar and Pelican's are temporarily closed until repairs are made.

Keith's Oyster Bar, Sea Dogs, Trader Ricks,  the beach and its concessions remain open.

The National Weather Service said the damage was likely caused by a microburst with winds of 50-60 mph. The strong winds also damaged part of the roof, the air-conditioning system and some electrical work.

Arturo Garcia was on the pier, eating with his family when the winds hit.

"All of a sudden, we saw the gusty winds and we could hear thunder," the 13-year-old said. "We're like, 'Oh, my God.'"

"The rain started pouring and people were coming in. Umbrellas were flying all over the place," he said.

Garcia livedstreamed the chaos inside the restaurant to his Instagram account.

"My parents were trying to tell us to stay calm. Don't panic. Everything is going to be OK," he said.

>>> Storm related video & pictures <<<

Witness Kevin Brongers said the storm hit with almost no warning.

"Some people who were running didn't see it coming. (It) hit them from the back," he said. "It was insane and it all happened so fast, maybe two, three, four minutes."

Statement from Westgate Resorts on Cocoa Beach Pier: 

“Severe thunderstorms striking Cocoa Beach caused some damage to the Pier.  As a safety precaution, guests were evacuated and we closed the damaged areas to the public. Once we are able to fully assess the damage, we will provide an update on when the affected venues will reopen.”

Westgate officials said they hope to provide some access to the pier Saturday.

"You know, you got to take it in stride. It's disappointing. The girls wanted to sit out on the pier and get something to eat. You can't control the weather," said pier visitor Ara Toroyan.

Watch below to see what is a microburst.

Cox Media Group