Teetering tree spells trouble for neighborhood

Updated: Wednesday, 25 Apr 2012, 11:38 PM EDT
Published : Wednesday, 25 Apr 2012, 9:39 PM EDT

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) -- People who live in the 1300 block of Pemberton Drive said a tree in the neighborhood is on its last leg and they worry that it could fall and kill someone.

There is a noticeable split down the middle of the huge tree. "The crack has gotten longer and deeper and wider," said Rick Auer.

Neighbors said they have called everyone they can think of to help an elderly couple cut it down before it falls, but no one claims responsibility for it.
   
Justin Berger said something needs to be done about it. "When they had a tree service out, the guy came back here and saw this tree and he said he didn't even want to touch it, so that scares me."

What scares them even more is the possibility that the tree could fall on the home of an elderly couple who they said both have a mental handicap.
    
Eric Miller said he's worried for both his neighbors and his own family. "My son's been sleeping at his friend's house, because you never know which way that tree's going to go. This is someone's life. It's not funny anymore. It's not about money."

Some neighbors said they believe Indiana Michigan Power should be responsible since its crews cut down some limbs near the power lines. "All the weight is causing this tree to split right down the middle of the trunk. That's because all the weight is on one side because they had all the other limbs removed," Rick Auer said.

Miller, Berger, and Auer said they won't rest until some action is taken to help neighbors who can't help themselves.

"I just don't want the looming of responsibility over my head of people dying that live next to me. And that's something I can't go to sleep with at night," Berger said.

I & M officials said the company is only responsible for cutting down limbs near power lines. If the tree is on private property, the homeowner has to take care of cutting it down.

Miller said he spoke with the elderly couple and they told him that an estimate from a tree service to cut  it down came in at nearly $7,000.