Backhoe collapses into Warrenton restaurant basement

Wednesday, Mar. 20 | By Mark Grandstaff

WARRENTON - A work crew accelerated the demolition of Napoleon's Restaurant when a backhoe crashed through its basement Wednesday afternoon.

Construction crews had been tearing down the closed Old Town restaurant, located on Waterloo Street. Early in the afternoon Wednesday, the backhoe's operator drove it directly over the restaurant's basement.

The floor, unable to bear the load of the equipment, gave way. The crane pitched over, falling on its right side.

The driver told the Times-Democrat he was not hurt. Warrenton firefighters were not dispatched to the collapse.

When asked how workers were going to lift the crane from the crater that was once Napoleon's basement, the driver laughed - then lowered his head, sighing.

"I don't know," he said.

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