‘Huge inconvenience’: Massive tree falls in Buckhead, knocking out power for hours

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ATLANTA — Georgia Power has restored electricity to a neighborhood where a tree fell on a busy road in Buckhead. The tree fell across W. Paces Ferry Rd. NW near Peachtree Rd. around 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon.

It took power lines with it and blocked drivers on the I-75 feeder road during rush hour.

Channel 2’s Courtney Francisco was there for hours when a crane big enough to move the massive tree through the congestion arrived.

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“It was a mess,” said Shana Coleman. “Traffic was crazy. I mean, nobody could get anywhere.”

She was at home when the tree knocked out power to apartment complexes and homes across the business district.

At one point, Georgia Power said more than 600 people were without power.

“It was a huge inconvenience,” said Coleman.

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Within five hours, the crane required to move the tree made its way through traffic, and workers trained to cut up the trunk were able to clear most of it out of the road.

That allowed linemen to start the process of restoring electricity to nearby homes that were still in the dark at 11:00 pm.

“I’m very glad no one was hurt. It could have been worse,” said Coleman.

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