ATLANTA — One person was hurt following a partial parking lot collapse in Atlanta on Saturday morning at Publix Supermarkets, according to Atlanta Fire Rescue.
The department said a call came in around 7 a.m. for the Publix located at 572 Hank Aaron Drive in the southeast part of the city.
Firefighters said that a crane was driven up the second floor of a parking garage when it fell, rupturing a water line and causing a diesel leak.
One person was hurt and taken to Grady Hospital for treatment.
Branch Properties, who owns the shopping center where the Publix Supermarket is located, said they believe "an unauthorized person unaffiliated with ownership" drove a crane on the top level of the parking lot, ignoring weight limit warning signs.
That's when part of the parking lot collapsed. Branch Properties said it is working with authorities and that construction would begin as soon as possible. The company's full statement can be found at the bottom of this story.
For now, the garage and the supermarket are closed until repairs are done.
Kenisha Cantrell, who lives in East Atlanta, said that this closure is not just inconvenient but detrimental to the community.
"I was hoping to pop in the grocery store on the way home because I live in a food desert, so you have to travel outside to get groceries," she said, adding that it takes about 10 minutes for her to get to a supermarket.
Cantrell had tried to stop to shop Monday morning and had to change her plans.
"Imagine if I didn’t have a car and I had to take public transportation – I even looked at it one time it would take me 30 minutes to an hour just to get to a fresh food source," she said.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said he and his administration are concerned about the impact of this store's closure and the community's ability to have access to a pharmacy and fresh food. However, he recognized there is no immediate solution and that options for a partial reopening are being explored. His full statement is at the bottom of this story.
Read Branch Properties' full statement below:
“We are aware of this situation and are currently working with appropriate authorities as they investigate the incident. Authorities were immediately notified at the time of the incident. As of now, it appears that an unauthorized person unaffiliated with ownership drove a crane truck onto the upper level of the deck past the weight-limit warning signs. The parking deck was constructed to the highest levels of safety, and repairs will begin soon so as not to disrupt shoppers further."
In a statement Monday morning, Mayor Andre Dickens tells 11Alive:
“Our Administration is concerned about the impact this incident will have on the safety and access to food and pharmacy services in this community. Assessments and inspections by multiple parties are underway with more to come over the coming days. While there is no exact timeline for full resolution, I have been told several options for full or partial re-opening of the store and parking garage are under review by the companies involved and relevant government agencies. Again, our Administration takes this matter very seriously and the City will provide more updates as they become available.”
