ORLANDO, Fla. – New details have emerged after a shopper was struck and injured by a falling holiday decoration at the Mall at Millenia on Saturday — including an official referral to federal safety regulators.
Orlando police classified the incident as an industrial accident and said it would be referred to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for further review. However, OSHA told News 6 the incident involving a mall guest falls outside its jurisdiction.
“OSHA’s mission involves the health and safety of workers. In this case, this unfortunate incident would not be within OSHA’s jurisdiction,” the agency said in an email.
Orlando police reviewed the circumstances and found no evidence of criminal activity, describing the incident as a civil matter.
The Orlando Fire Department confirmed that one person was transported from the mall to a nearby hospital as a trauma alert.
The incident happened Saturday near the escalators in front of Macy’s, where large star-shaped decorations had been hanging above shoppers.
Witness CJ Shetley said he arrived moments after the decoration fell.
“It was very sort of a rush of adrenaline,” Shetley said. “It was very chaotic.”
Video taken by Britney Piniero shows first responders tending to someone on the floor. The large metal star can also be seen nearby, sitting on a trash can.
Shetley said the force of the impact appeared significant.
“So if you can imagine the force and the impact that would cause it to bend the trash can, and then that striking this individual on top of their head,” he said. “It was very scary.”
In a brief statement Saturday night, The Mall at Millenia confirmed a holiday decoration had fallen and that an injured guest was taken to the hospital. The mall did not provide additional details about how the decoration fell or who installed it.
By Monday, the star decorations that had been above the escalator were no longer visible in that area of the mall. The escalator where the incident occurred was back open and being used by shoppers.
Shetley said the incident should serve as a reminder about safety in public spaces, especially in busy shopping areas.
“I would say that accidents do happen, but this can be a prime example of how we need to be absolutely certain and cautious and take every measurable step to ensure safety of the staff and the shoppers,” he said.
News 6 has asked Orlando police for its initial report on the incident.
News 6 has also followed up with the mall asking who installed the star, how much it weighed, whether installation was taking place while the mall was open to shoppers and whether security video is available.
The condition of the shopper who was struck has not been released.
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