Downed Tree Causes Year’s Worst Pileup

Dec
13

State road workers were dispatched early Wednesday evening when a tree fell, blocking a major one-lane thoroughfare in Roane County. The tree, described as “giant” by one resident, created the worst traffic jam in the area in recent memory. At least 10 vehicles were involved in the massive pileup, including two school busses. The tree came down shortly before 5 PM in the curve past the farm where they just built that new barn. Workers used power saws to cut up the giant tree. It took several men to push the logs off the road.

Nearby residents rushed to the scene to stand around and watch. “It’s strange what we do for entertainment out here,” one observer noted.

Longtime resident and community maven Georgia Sergent said, “Oh, no, it’s exciting!”

The road was cleared in time for parents to pick up their children from basketball practice.

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7 Responses
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12-13
10:36
am

Good grief, I thought you meant fatalities! Whew. I’m so accustomed to hearing about pile-ups on highway 401.

Kingston is a small city, roughly 50,000 in the “old” city, but approximately 115,000 in the greater (amalgamated) area. A traffic jam for us is waiting two lights.

Poor old Tree, though! I wonder how many generations it saw come and go….

-Kim

Kim A. -
12-13
2:45
pm

That sounds just like the little ‘town’ I live in!

Susan -
12-13
3:38
pm

I live is a small town of less then 5,000. Almost anything is newsworty here.

Estella -
12-13
3:57
pm

There’s a country song by Miranda Lambert currently playing on the radio titled ” Everybody Dies Famous in a Small Town”. I think that’s surely true.

generic -
12-13
5:18
pm

I was seriously worried for a moment. *g* I hope the tree remains will be used for something constuctive.
Have a nice day!

Brandy -
12-13
11:44
pm

That is one of the perks of living in a small town.We have a total of 5 traffic lights in all of our town. All of us get frustrated waiting especially when school lets out. Maybe a lot of your neighbors can get firewood for the winter. That would be great. I always feel sad when a grand old tree falls. Just think of the things it has seen. Take care and to all.

Fannie M Wiggins -
3-9
10:47
am

Gee: You think that one LITTLE GIANT tree was bad, you should have been here for the famous ice storm of 2003. I’m sure your road was full of fallen trees at that time.In all of my life-time, I’ve never seen such natural devastation to our forests. If you can’t find any photo’s, let me know, and I’ll share mine. I hope you saved that big Oak for some useful art or craft projects. It breaks my heart to see such an ancient statue give up the ghost.

As the trees and limbs were breaking and falling, it sounded like a war zone. Really eerie. I said ” if my Dad, who departed this earth in 1991, at the age of 85, had been still living, I’m sure he would have cried his eyes out, at the devastation that hit our family farm.”

You were smart not to drive under that tree, don’t beat yourself up due to your lack of bravery, instead, pat yourself on the back for your high level of intelligence and good horse sense.

Keep up the good work.

Sharon

Sharon -