DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Storms cleaved the top of a pine tree and sent it crashing down onto the roof of Emory University's internationally renowned Michael C. Carlos Museum early Tuesday, damaging the roof and causing extensive leaks in one of the galleries.
Museum officials told Channel 2's Richard Elliot the water did not damage any of the priceless artifacts inside.
"The top end (of the tree) landed on the roof of our building," said museum Security and Operations Manager Bernard Potts.
"We had four or five holes that caused a little bit of water from the rain to get into the building. We did have small amounts of water in our gallery sections, but none of the objects were damaged." Potts said.
A new exhibit entitled titled "Divine Intervention", part of a showing featuring African art, just opened in that gallery.
Tree service crews used a giant crane to help lift the pine tree off the roof.
The Emory University campus suffered major tree damage from the storm that blew through north Georgia.
The school's grounds supervisor told Elliot the campus lost between 20 and 30 trees. The high winds knocked down several healthy oaks in front of the law school building.
"It's very saddening to see 60- to 70-year-old trees gone away like this," said Grounds Supervisor Tim Corley. "I won't be here to see them regrown again, and a lot of people won't either. So it's real sad."
There were no reports of injuries on the campus.