Residents return 1 week after unstable crane forced flight

Hundreds of Midtown Atlanta residents were finally able to return home Friday after crews completed a “critical milestone” to dismantle a malfunctioned crane that triggered evacuations and road closures Feb. 19.

Daniel Hall decided to celebrate the moment by taking his puppy for a walk in the rain. “It’s a huge relief, especially for the weekend,” he told Channel 2 Action News. “I miss my apartment, she missed the apartment. ”

Several horizontal pieces of the crane were removed from the 31-story office tower under construction at 1105 West Peachtree St., according to construction company Brasfield & Gorrie. Crews are now working to finish dismantling the crane and then will focus on breaking down the two massive assist cranes, “which will take time,” the Alabama-based company said Friday.

It has been one week since Atlanta authorities shut down West Peachtree Street after the crane malfunctioned and began to lean precariously over the busy street below.

No one was injured in the mishap, and the crane operator was able to make it out safely. Atlanta firefighters went door to door clearing out nearby apartment buildings and condominiums, and several businesses have been closed ever since, including Northside Medical Midtown.

“We are tremendously grateful for the patience and cooperation of residents, property owners and other neighbors who were impacted by this situation,” Brasfield &

Gorrie said Friday in a statement. “We will continue to communicate with impacted individuals in the coming days to help address needs created by this situation, and our team continues to assess potential business impacts.”

West Peachtree Street remains closed between 11th and 14th streets.