We've seen our share of GPS-guided mishaps, but what happened to the owners of a Texas duplex is particularly heartbreaking. Their house was torn down by mistake (no, this isn't the first time that's happened, it's not even the first time in Texas) after it was damaged by a tornado, and the demolition company apparently blames Google Maps for the error. They lived at 7601 Calypso Dr., and as you can see below, on Google Maps it lists the same location for that address as it shows for 7601 Cousteau Dr. --the home a block away that was supposed to be demolished. (At the time of this writing, both Apple Maps and Mapquest have what appears to be the correct listing for 7601 Cousteau Dr.)
Wrong house gets torn down based on a Google Maps error
It was going to be repaired, but demolition crews ended up a block away from their intended target.
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Homeowner Lindsey Diaz told KERA News that she had just applied for a builder's permit to repair and rebuild, before getting a call from her neighbor about what had happened. An employee for Billy L. Nabors Demolition, the company behind the teardown, apparently sent her a screenshot showing what Google Maps displays, but so far no one from the company has apologized for the mistake.
