A crane operated by Big Woody's tree trimming business toppled on top of some townhomes in the Jackson Square subdivision in the 1700 block of E. Boy Scout Road around 2 p.m. on Wednesday.
Fortunately, no one was injured.
Chattanooga firefighters and police officers responded to the scene and promptly shut down E. Boy Scout Road to protect the general public.
After determining a course of action, two wreckers with Doug Yates Towing and Recovery were brought in to lift and remove the crane from the townhomes. It was a tricky operation as precautions had to be taken so that an underground gas line and high-voltage power transmission lines above were not adversely impacted. The wrecker operators worked in tandem to slowly lift and remove the crane. Shortly after 6 p.m., the operation was completed.
Assistant Chief Danny Hague with the fire department's Special Operation division said three townhomes were damaged by the fallen crane. A city building inspector condemned two of the three townhomes, meaning that they cannot be re-occupied until sufficient repairs are made.
Volunteers with the American Red Cross were called in to provide assistance to two families that were displaced by the accident.