CASPER: Wind Almost Blows Heavy Light Post Into Apartments

Laurel Gardens Apartments, B Street, near city hall in Casper Wyoming.

This Casper Wyoming upstairs apartment almost had a rude awakening this Saturday morning.

Heavy Wyoming winds uprooted this metal light pole and sent it falling toward the building at about 8:30-ish in the morning.

Lucky for the people living upstairs there was a tree with branches strong enough to catch the light post before it hit the roof.

It might have been a problem with the bolts at the base of the post. Other light fixtures in the area were still standing.

But there are also a lot of buildings in the area. Those apartments are near Casper City Hall. Wind will get between buildings and pick up speed like putting your thumb over the end of a garden hose. So the wind might have been concentrated at this one post.

As I took photos I saw the fire department pulling up behind me.

They didn't have far to go. Their firehouse is maybe one block away from the scene of this near disaster.

The firemen had a look but it will really be up to someone with a crane to lift this big sucker out of the way.

That tree can't hold this pole forever, especially with the wind gusting up to and above 60mph.

If the tree, or poll, had been a little to one side this thing would have gone through the roof or a window for sure.

A close look at the branches shows that there really is not much holding that heavy poll up.

At this point the apartments were still at risk. It is expected to be windy all afternoon and into Saturday night. The tree and poll were rocking. Eventually something would give.

The fire department asked the people in those apartments to go find  somewhere else to be while they deal with this problem.

But it did not take them long. In the photos below you'll see that they had the work done minuets after the fire department arrived.

Just picture being snug in your bed and that sucker come busting through your roof or window.

Here comes the work crew.

Did not take them long to arrive on the scene.

Sorry I missed the moment they lifted the post out of harms way.

They cut the power, lifted the poll out of the way, and then capped the hole.

The last thing I saw them doing was inspecting for any other damage or danger that might have been caused.

The workmen were also checking the other light posts in the area to see if any of the ones left standing might have been weekend by the wind, or was it just this one?

Do you think the tenant of that upstairs apartment will go out and give that tree a hug?