'Sounded Like Somebody Blew Up The Block': Strong Thanksgiving Day Winds Cause Brick Wall To Collapse In West Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The strong winds in the area Thursday led to a huge headache for one West Philadelphia neighborhood. The gusts pushed over a wall, crushing cars and ruining Thanksgiving plans.

"It was like a crack, boom! And you just see the smoke and everything like that," Anthony Randall said.

Around 12:30 p.m. Thursday, a brick wall on the 6000 block of Osage Avenue gave way, according to police.

"A bomb. It sounded like someone shook the entire block," Randall said.

Fire officials say high winds are the culprit.

"I turned around and dipped back in and then there was debris everywhere. It just like blew up. It was pretty scary," Randall said.

Neighbors tell Eyewitness News that the wall was part of a garage that has been abandoned for years.

But once it blew over, it sent wood and brick everywhere, crushing several cars.

Fortunately, no one was injured.

"It sounded like somebody blew up the block," Veronica Brinkley said.

Brinkley's vehicle was one of three destroyed by the collapse.

She is a Lyft driver, whose main source of income is driving and had just celebrated one year with the company.

"I don't think I'll have a chance to do anything but sulk and cry today," she said.

Her holiday plans were crushed under pounds of brick.

"I'm thankful, it could have been my life. I can always get another car but its Thanksgiving. It's not how I wanted to spend my holiday," Brinkley said.