CNN
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It was supposed to be a safe haven. A refuge for first responders and cleanup crews tired after long days rescuing storm victims or cleaning up wreckage left behind by Hurricane Milton.

But Milton showed no mercy during his deadly rampage through Florida, destroying the roof of Tropicana Field – a Major League Baseball stadium that became a makeshift shelter for storm crews. Milton unleashed a wave of tornadoes, made landfall Wednesday as a Category 3 hurricane and killed at least four people, officials said.

Aerial footage of the mangled stadium showed rows of empty cots surrounding the baseball diamond where the Tampa Bay Rays play.

“This is one of the most surreal things ever,” storm chaser Jonathan Petramala told CNN after arriving at the stadium in central St. Petersburg.

“I was able to get my hands on a piece of that roof and feel the material a little bit, and it feels just (like) thick vinyl,” Petramala said. “And you could tell it just didn’t stand a chance against the winds of Hurricane Milton.”

Earlier this week, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said Tropicana Field would be used as a 10,000-person base camp for debris removal and first responders.

No injuries were reported after the roof was destroyed, and officials urged residents to avoid central St. Petersburg, a city spokesman said.

CNN has reached out to the Rays, who are currently in the offseason, and MLB for comment.

CNN’s Kathleen Magramo, Colin Jeffery and Jacob Lev contributed to this report.