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Search forCrane lorry smashes into Matlock house
Wednesday, August 13, 2008, 12:10
The driver of the Kato mobile crane had been travelling down Lime Tree Road in Matlock at about 8.10am when the vehicle's brakes failed.
He veered into Lynholmes Road in an attempt to stop but smashed into two parked cars before careering into the front of a semi-detached house.
Just minutes later homeowner Jacqueline Fletcher returned to the house after dropping her daughter Sally off at work.
The 52-year-old, who works as a press operator at John Smedley in Matlock, said: "I got home this morning after working a night shift, took my daughter to work and was just coming home to go to bed.
"I saw the bricks all over the street then realised it was my house it had hit - I couldn't believe it.
"We've been told we can't stay here because it's not safe so we're just packing up our things and arranging to stay with family.
"We don't know how long to will take to fix, it could be months before we can move back in."
Next-door neighbour Samantha King, 42, was in bed when the crane struck and said she first thought it was her house that had been hit.
She said: "I was in bed and just heard a huge noise and felt the house shaking. I ran downstairs, looked out of the dining room window and saw the driver sitting in his cab right outside the window.
"I thought it was a lorry at first because it was so loud, it's just lucky there was nobody inside the house at the time."
Alexia Worthy owns one of the cars damaged in the accident - a Honda Civic which is just six weeks old.
The 40-year-old said: "I was drying my hair when it happened so wasn't sure what I heard, then I looked out the window and saw the damage.
"I've only just got the car back from the garage but hopefully it will be covered by the insurance and at least everyone is OK."
Steve Docherty, sub-officer at Matlock fire station, was one of the first on the scene and said: "This is a very unusual incident - thankfully there was no-one in the cars or the house and the driver of the crane was not injured."
Structural engineers have carried out an initial examination and deemed the damage too serious for the Fletchers to remain in the property.
The crane, which is owned by Axis Crane Hire in Nottingham, will be removed today and examined by police.
Nobody from the company was available for comment this morning.
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