Monday, January 12, 2015

SEMI-TRUCK SLAMS INTO DOWNTOWN BIRMINGHAM IRON TRIBE FITNESS GYM, LEAVING A BIG HOLE IN DOWNTOWN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.



SEMI-TRUCK SLAMS INTO DOWNTOWN BIRMINGHAM IRON TRIBE FITNESS GYM, LEAVING A BIG HOLE IN DOWNTOWN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.





BIRMINGHAM, AL (WBRC) - 

A semi-truck slammed into the side of the Iron Tribe Fitness gym, leaving a big hole in the downtown Birmingham building on Monday morning.

The truck was on 3rd Avenue when it hit a car on 27th Street, then slid into the Iron Tribe parking lot and hit an Iron Tribe SUV.

The truck missed a gas meter by inches, but it did smash an electrical panel and meter.
No one was injured in the crash.

Iron Tribe CEO Forrest Walden says 15 employees had just finished their morning staff meeting and were returning to their offices when they heard the administrative assistant scream. She saw the truck coming towards the building and ran.

Luckily, there were no classes going on because the truck hit the gym area and Walden says someone could have been hurt if they were in the gym area.

Walden says some of the gym equipment inside is holding up the wall.
Walden says they've seen several accidents at this intersection because drivers often try to turn from the middle lane of 3rd Avenue, and they're thankful no one was hurt.

"There is a wreck a week on this corner and we have joked since we've been here a little over three years that one day someone is going to drive through our building. It was just a matter of time. This intersection is crazy. No, I've never seen anything like it. We hoped it would never come true but afraid it would,” Walden said.

Walden says they have no electricity and they're probably going to have to replace the entire wall.

He says they have four other locations in the Birmingham metro area so they're going to have their trainers and clients use those locations while they make repairs at the downtown location.