A church in Massachusetts is left dealing with the aftermath of destructive winds after a tree fell through the roof of the building Friday. 

"I didn't know what to expect," said Bill Coolbaugh, co-director of Sanctuary at Woodville in Hopkinton. He recalls the moment he received a call around 11:30 AM, informing him about the incident. 

"It was a quick call, I was away," he said. But when he arrived at the church, he said, "my thought was, 'Wow, this was a big tree.'" 

The strong gusts that swept through the area sent the tree crashing into the building, leaving a massive hole in the roof. The damage didn't stop outside. Inside the sanctuary, pieces of drywall and tree branches are scattered across the floor. There's also a clear view of the outside sky through the damaged ceiling.

"It's pretty scary," Coolbaugh admitted. 

Fire chief's car struck by fallen tree

The sanctuary was not the only place damaged by the gusty winds. Fire Chief Neil McPherson was also affected. While responding to downed wires on Brook Trail Friday afternoon, McPherson said the howling winds stopped him in his tracks.  "I was going down the road, all of a sudden my car it felt like it was being shaken by the wind," he said. Moments later, a large tree fell directly on top of his SUV, barely missing him. 

"It was nothing short of just totally stunned at what had occurred," McPherson said.

Both Coolbaugh and McPherson are thankful that they were not injured. "No one was hurt," Coolbaugh said gratefully. "Fortunately, the group that was here was a Dominican Republic ministry, and they were downstairs doing things. So, they heard the noise, and they were able to get out quickly."

He describes it as a "blessing" because although his church's property has experienced significant damage, "It could have been a lot worse," he said.