Wrecking Crew Demolishes Wrong Housing Duplex Following Google Maps Error (cnet.com)

An anonymous reader writes: A demolition company has leveled the wrong housing duplex after one of its employees was misled by a Google Maps error. Instead of bringing down a house destroyed by a tornado in Rowlett, Texas at 7601 Cousteau Drive, the wrecking crew demolished another home at 7601 and 7603 Calypso Drive, a block away. Owners of the second house were waiting for their house to be repaired, since it didn't suffer major damages in the tornado. The demolition company's CEO dismissed the incident as "not a big deal." The wrecking crew used Google Maps to find the house to demolish because they were brought in from a neighboring town, but failed to double-check with a neighbor before starting their work. A Google engineer confirmed that Google Maps was showing the wrong information.

Comments

Doesn't anybody double check?

[Snotnose]

How hard would it be to go to the nearest intersection and make sure you're on the right street, and double check the street address?

I think the (former) homeowners should get to stay in "not a big deal"'s house until new houses are built. "Not a big deal" can live in a tent on the construction site.

Re:Doesn't anybody double check?

[twotacocombo]

How hard would it be to go to the nearest intersection and make sure you're on the right street, and double check the street address?

According to Google maps, Cousteau turns into Calypso, and street view verifies this. The streets form a loop, and there is only one set of signs in that area, in a non-intersection corner where one street name arbitrarily turns into the other. Due to the tornado, this sign pole may not even currently exist. I can completely see where the confusion lies with this situation. While the demo crew are at fault for lack of due diligence, who's the fucking imbecile at the city planning office that approved the same exact street number for two houses within spitting distance of each other on what is essentially the same street?

Re: WTF?

[bill_mcgonigle]

or, y'know, check the demolition permit taped to the front door? I don't care who issues those permits, per se, but a crew needs to at least verify that.

One project I managed involved a demo - there was a ton of paperwork and I had to sign papers, on-site, as owner-representative before the excavator started in.

self driving cars

[phantomfive]

I'll get modded down for this, but remember this is the same technology that's supposed to be giving us self-driving cars within the next five years.

Obligitory Dilbert

[Rik Sweeney]

http://dilbert.com/strip/1989-...