Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Giant Tree Falls Near Bucktown's Map Room, Smashes Mini Cooper

By Alisa Hauser | April 30, 2017 2:20pm
 A tree caused damage to a parked car in Bucktown late Saturday.
A tree caused damage to a parked car in Bucktown late Saturday.
View Full Caption
Peter Doyle

BUCKTOWN — During Saturday night's rainstorm, a massive tree fell near the northwest corner of Hoyne and Armitage avenues in Bucktown and partially crushed the roof of a parked Mini Cooper.

According to witnesses, the tree fell around 10 p.m. Saturday.

Police blocked off the area —  just north of popular bar The Map Room —  until crews from Streets and Sanitation and the Dept. of Forestry arrived.

Officer Michele Tannehill, a Chicago Police spokeswoman, said police responded to a call for service at 10:05 p.m. in the 2000 block of North Hoyne Avenue.

There were no occupants in the car and no one was injured, Tannehill said.

Pete Doyle, a Logan Square resident, said his wife, Michele Doyle, spotted the tree and damage as he was driving west on Armitage Avenue around 11:50 p.m. Saturday. 

"My wife screamed OMG did you see that tree? I didn't, so she said we needed to drive around the block and check it out. Once we were in front of the accident, we were thankful no one was injured," Doyle wrote in an email.

Richard Wallace, a Bucktown resident, took photos of the tree early Sunday.

"The base of this tree was completely rotted out. I am surprised that it did not fall sooner," Wallace said.

Early Sunday, Sara McGann, a spokeswoman for the city's Dept. of Streets and Sanitation, said that crews responded at 2 a.m. Sunday. The crews cut and stacked the tree for pickup on Monday, she said.

McGann said there are several ash trees along the 2000 block of North Hoyne Avenue that are being treated for the Emerald ash borer beetle. McGann was not sure if the tree is an ash tree but said the tree had not been "flagged previously" as a tree needing to be removed.

Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) posted about the situation on Facebook.

"Forestry crews were out early this morning for quite a few downed trees and ComEd for power lines. Please call 311 on any down wires or trees so they are in the system," Waguespack said.

McGann said residents should call 311 for emergency tree removals.

Photos of the fallen tree early Sunday. [Courtesy of Al Spenadel] 

The tree limbs cut up and awaiting disposal. [Al Spenadel]

Rotted tree. [Courtesy of Richard Wallace]