A portion of First Street between Vine and Mountain was closed for more than four hours yesterday morning, after a truck clipped and partially uprooted a tree in the front yard of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority house.

According to Sgt. Mike Smith of the University of Arizona Police Department, the dangerously leaning tree was reported at 7:47 a.m. by a employee of the UA grounds department.

“”Risk management came out and assessed the situation and determined that the tree needed to be removed,”” Smith said. “”They didn’t want to take any chances.””

UAPD officers blocked off the section of First Street immediately after their arrival on the scene, with the assistance of UA grounds and Parking and Transportation personnel. After the removal of the tree by the sorority, the street was reopened to traffic at 12:14 p.m.

Despite the street closure during the busy morning rush hour, traffic was not seriously impacted, according to Smith. Police diverted traffic through the parking lot of the Martin Luther King, Jr. building.

Although the tree was removed by a private contractor hired by Kappa Alpha Theta, the sorority saved a section of the trunk as a souvenir of the lost landmark.

“”We had a lot of sentimental attachment to it,”” explained Riley Sutherlin, president of the sorority. “”It’s been there a long time.””