An Auckland house damaged by a 55-tonne crane is probably a write-off, according to emergency services.
The fire service said a gust of wind appeared to have caught the crane yesterday as it was trying to lift a boat onto a neighbouring property in Bluebird Crescent on the North Shore.
It toppled and both the boat and the arm of the crane fell through the second storey of the house, which had people inside.
Albany station officer Graeme Butter said the occupants escaped unharmed and the crane driver had a minor injury to his leg.
He said the house was uninhabitable at the moment.
"It's hard to say but it was very badly damaged," he said.
"They had a council engineer there and a council building inspector who were looking, going through it. It'll be their judgment call, I suppose, on whether it'll be a write-off or not."
Mr Butter said the crane company was considering using a 300-tonne crane to remove the first one.
Worksafe is investigating the incident.
