Home » News » Local » Locals pick up hazardous roofing nails left on Lehigh Acres trails

LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. — A Lehigh Acres community is spending their Saturday picking up “thousands” of roofing nails they claim were left intentionally at 5 different trial entrances leading to a popular meeting spot.

Julie Armfield grew up in Lehigh Acres. She says over the decades, friends and family have hopped on their ATV’s, trucks and side by sides to gather together in the Greenbriar woods in Lehigh Acres for decades.

“By evening, 9-10 o’clock, there’s 200-300 people out here,” said Armfield. 

While riding out to the area earlier this week, Armfield and her friends noticed a sign they’ve never seen before on the trail. It read–“Nails Ahead, Keep Out.” She said the entire trail was covered in long roofing nails.

“I’m talking hundreds of nails,” she said.  

After the discovery of the nails, community members were out early clearing the trails of the hazardous nails. With so many people bringing their pets and kids to the trails, especially on the weekends, Julie and the others thought it was imperative to everyone’s safety to get the nails cleaned up.

“I know that people are upset about it and they want to help as much as they can to get them up,” Armfield said. “If it floods out here and we get a sheet of water, the nails are gonna travel.” 

While rumors are swirling, nobody is really sure who put the nails there or where they came from. People there hope the nail dropping was a one-time occurrence.

“We’re hoping the majority of them are picked up,” she said.

Copyright © 2022 Waterman Broadcasting of Florida, LLC

Copyright © 2022 Waterman Broadcasting of Florida, LLC