Plymouth woman sitting on porch killed by falling tree as storms move across Massachusetts

A Plymouth woman was killed by a falling tree while she sat on her porch Monday afternoon. It happened as storms bringing high winds and flooding downpours rolled through Massachusetts.

First responders were called to a home on Sullivan Avenue at about 1:10 p.m. for a report that a woman was trapped underneath a tree that had fallen on a back porch.

"The preliminary investigation indicates that the victim was sitting outside on her porch when a large gust of wind caused the tree to snap and collapse onto the home and the victim," the Plymouth police and fire departments said in a statement.

She has been identified as 61-year-old Jennifer Buckley. Authorities said police officers and neighbors found her under the tree and immediately started lifesaving efforts, but she later died at the hospital.

Neighbors were devastated by the news. "Just a lovely woman. Always smiling, always happy. It's very sad," one neighbor told WBZ-TV.

The neighbor said she went outside to let her dog out. "The rain had let up for a bit and she has a dog. Her very best friend dog and the neighbor also has a dog," the neighbor said. "So, they both went out onto their back porch to let their animals out during the downpours and the neighbor heard this loud crack, and he looked over and a tree had fallen from State Road right onto her."

Plymouth police and the Plymouth County district attorney's office are investigating. 

While central and western Massachusetts were most affected by heavy rain that flooded some streets, the bigger concern in the southeast part of the state was the wind. Gusts were forecast to reach up to 40 m.p.h. in Plymouth on Monday afternoon.