A crane repairing the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. collapsed on Wednesday morning, damaging at least one building and crushing several vehicles but sparing the church.

The cathedral was damaged during an Aug. 23 earthquake that rattled nerves in the nation's capitol and cracked the cathedral's ornamental spires. The crane flipped over backwards as it worked to fix the cathedral in driving rain. Its operator was brought to the hospital for treatment on non-life threatening injuries.

If it had gone any other direction it would have hit another building, which would have been bad, fire Battalion Chief John Donnellytold the Associated Press.

Here are some photos of the event:

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A view shows part of a downed construction crane and the building it hit (R) at the National Cathedral in Washington September 7, 2011. The 500 foot crane, erected to repair damage to the cathedral after the recent earthquake, grazed a nearby building. REUTERS
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An emergency worker passes a collapsed construction crane and the building it hit at the National Cathedral in Washington September 7, 2011. REUTERS
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Workers stand by a collapsed construction crane and the building it hit at the National Cathedral in Washington September 7, 2011. REUTERS
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A crushed car sits beneath a collapsed construction crane at the National Cathedral in Washington September 7, 2011. REUTERS
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The National Cathedral is seen after a crane collapsed from the building in Washington September 7, 2011 REUTERS
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