Fire Department

Strong storms that ripped through the city’s east side late Thursday night sent one tree through the roof of a Woodlawn Drive home.

Residents were standing outside awaiting Engine Company 8’s arrival just before midnight. They reported that a tree came through their living room. Firefighters found drywall, insulation, and broken trusses down in the living room and the dining room, along with water from substantial rainfall.

A tree over 50 feet tall with a 1½-2-foot-wide trunk had broken off near the base, lying across the backyard and onto the roof. Electrical service lines in the neighborhood are buried underground and were not impacted by the fallen tree.

Firefighters examined the tree, roof, and interior of the home, and they assisted residents with disconnecting electricity to the house. Firefighters stayed off the roof due to concerns about stability.

The residents covered interior furniture with a tarp and made arrangements with their insurance agency for repairs. Nobody was injured.