Windmill topples over in Friesland during severe wind warning

A 32-meter high toppled over Sunday night in Jorwert, Friesland, while a weather warning for strong winds was in effect. Though it was initially reported to the fire department as a possible case of storm damage, authorities told broadcaster NOS the cause is still under investigation.

It happened at about 6:45 p.m. on Hessensereed, a quiet road in the quiet Frisian town. The windmill fell across the street, blocking traffic in both directions.

Eventually, a crane was used to move a portion of the windmill off to the side of the road so that traffic could pass, wrote local newspaper Leeuwarder Courant. There was no damage to the farm or to the manure silo on the farm.

The windmill was built by Lagerwey Wind, a Dutch wind turbine manufacturer that started building a two-bladed model in the 1980s, according to the company's website. By the mid 1990s it was manufacturing and selling the more commonly seen three-bladed models.