ATLANTA — A massive tree inside popular Piedmont Park in Midtown came crashing down as many watched on in disbelief.
There were no storms in the area. It hadn't rained in several days. The wind was calm but the massive tree snapped around 7 p.m. on Thursday evening.
Arjun Sharma, who is a bartender at Holeman & Finch Public House in Colony Square, said he just happened to get cut early because it was a slower night.
Piedmont Park is a part of his bike route since he lives across the street from the popular Midtown destination.
On Thursday evening, as he was riding in the park, he just passed the Dockside Visitor Center when he noticed people stopped along the path.
"I saw a lot of people pointing in my direction," Sharma said.
A little confused, Sharma said he slowed down.
"I kind of hesitated, like, what are you guys looking at?" Sharma explained.
At first, he thought they were pointing at him, but as he slowed down and looked around, he realized what everyone was pointing at along the path.
There was a massive tree near a bench along the trail that was making a strange crackling noise.
"I heard the cracks, and it started being more frequently," Sharma explained.
He said as he got closer, the cracks seemed to get louder.
"All of a sudden, it started falling on me," Sharma said, adding, "Yeah, I basically just ran."
Sharma said there were a couple of other people right in front of him, and he yelled at them to run.
Fortunately, no one was hurt.
On Friday, the Piedmont Park Conservancy released the following statement:
“The Piedmont Park Conservancy is aware of the fallen tree in Piedmont Park and can confirm that no injuries occurred. The City of Atlanta had the tree removed today, and we support the City’s arborists in handling all aspects of tree care and maintenance. As part of our ongoing commitment to the Park, the Conservancy is launching a Tree Care Initiative in our 35th Anniversary Appeal. The Initiative will include a detailed tree inventory and a multi-year plan dedicated to the preservation and care of the park's mature trees. It will also outline a strategic roadmap for planting and nurturing the next generation of trees in Piedmont Park, ensuring the Park's natural beauty for years to come."
The cause of the tree's fall is still unknown, but the trunk appeared to be hollowed out. On Friday, the tree was removed from the trail, and some of the cut-up tree was used to fill in the trunk.
