A bridge collapse in the Spring Ridge Estates neighborhood of Eustis Thursday night forced the evacuation of 21 homes and left residents cut off from their properties as city crews and emergency officials worked to assess the damage.

The collapse happened just after 7 p.m., days after record rainfall flooded Eustis and Mount Dora, weakening the infrastructure.

According to Eustis Fire Chief Michael Swanson, the bridge began to fail as water eroded its foundation.

Residents were given just 15 minutes to leave and were instructed to turn off their electricity as fire trucks could no longer cross the structure if an emergency occurred.

“The bridge is the only way in or out for those 21 homes,” Swanson says.

The city also shut off water to the neighborhood after the sidewalk above the main waterline collapsed.

Police officers have been stationed nearby to prevent anyone from crossing the damaged bridge. Early Friday morning, several residents were trying collect clothes and personal items, but were told they could only access the other side by crossing the water.

Resident Bob Hoffman tells Channel 6 about being given 15 minutes to vacate his residence Thursday evening due to the bridge collapse.

One resident knew of little patch of grass that down the way that would make it easier to cross.

Resident Theo Bob, who lives on a different street in the subdivision, said the community is still in disbelief.

“We’ve never seen anything like this,” Bob says. “The rain, the damage, we didn’t do anything wrong, it’s just nature, and you can’t control nature.”

The Spring Ridge Estates Homeowners Association is scheduled to meet Friday with city officials to determine the next steps for repair and restoration. The question on many residents’ minds Friday morning was who will pay for repairs. Because the roads are privately maintained, the cost could ultimately fall on the neighborhood’s HOA.