Large debris must be secured before Midtown crane dismantling begins, contractor says

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Evacuated with no end date in sight. That’s what at least 1,000 Midtown residents are dealing with after a crane malfunction earlier this week.

It happened at a high-rise condo complex under construction on Spring Street. A component of a large crane fell off and caused a partial building collapse. Residents of a nearby apartment complex, Tens on West, were forced to evacuate for their own safety.

But on Thursday the contracting company, Balfour Beatty, told Atlanta News First there’s no timeline on how long this may all take to fix.

“Our team, along with crane experts, structural engineers, OSHA, local authorities, and our client are continuing to make progress on plans to dismantle the crane. There are large pieces of debris that need to be secured before crane dismantling work can begin. Recovery experts on site are assessing and developing a plan given the complexities and location of the debris. While these activities are ongoing, the local authorities have determined that the Tens on West apartment building cannot be occupied, and local street closures remain in place until the area is deemed safe. Our top priority continues to be the safety of our neighbors and the neighborhood, the recovery experts, and all the people working onsite. We will continue to work diligently to ensure all the residents affected by this incident can return home as soon as possible.” -Balfour Beatty Spokesperson

Aditia Natu and Madeline Garell live at Tens on West. They were allowed inside “at their own risk” Thursday afternoon to grab clothes and other necessities.

“I’m going to a conference next week so I packed everything I might need,” Garell said.

“It’s been rough, we never expected this to be the case. But we have to adapt,” Natu said.

An email from the Tens on West apartment management company sent Thursday notified residents the evacuation orders would likely be in place through at least the upcoming holiday weekend.

Street closures on Spring and West Peachtree between 10th and 12th also remain in place.

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