Watch CBS News

Severe Storm Brings Tree Down In Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (CBS)--Fierce weather moved through our area quickly and left a harsh mark.

"God ain't no joke," said Chaz Rosario, who was visiting his grandmother on the 1100 block of Windrim Avenue in Philadelphia's Logan section when he and others witnessed an enormous tree fall.

That tree smashed onto a vehicle parked below it.

"That tree came down and it came down quick. It was just like 'boom' and then next thing you know the car got smashed and everyone started running. I took cover," he said.

Tee Gaither, a local comedian, didn't see any joke in the storm's destruction.

"The car. It was crushed. It was unbelievable and coming from the roots," Gaither said of the tree.

Luckily no one was inside of that crushed vehicle at the time, but someone was inside of a home that a tree had fallen onto near Rhawn and Roosevelt Boulevard.

"When I pulled in my son was inside sleeping," said Northeast resident Ricky Demitro.

The large branches somehow missed puncturing the window where his son was sleeping when it fell.

Trees were also toppled due to high winds in South Jersey. Garwood Road in Moorestown was closed due to downed trees and wires.

Chopper 3 was over Wyncote, Montgomery County where a tree snagged wires as well.

"We just came from the supermarket so it was kind of discouraging," said Sharita Walton.

She is among thousands in the region who lost power.

Just as fast as the storm came and went, the sound of chainsaws that buzzed through Northeast Philadelphia means that so will go the remains of the timber that winds brought down.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.