Child injured after tree falls through Bel Air homes during storm
BALTIMORE -- A 9-year-old girl was injured after a falling tree damaged multiple homes in Bel Air Tuesday night during a storm that brought heavy rain, damaging wind, and flooding to the region.
Harford County Fire and EMS said the tree fell on the 1900 block of Millington Square. The agency said a person was injured, but their condition was not immediately clear.
WJZ spoke with a homeowner Wednesday who told her that her 9-year-old daughter was the person injured.
Candice Sexton said her daughter suffered only a few scratches after part of a large oak tree fell through their living room, basement, and their daughter's room.
"They were upstairs for about 10 minutes and all of a sudden, we heard — just a crashing noise," Sexton said. "It sounded just like thunder."
A building inspector has been requested, officials said.
STORM AFTERMATH: A tree fell & damaged multiple homes in Bel Air Tues. night along the 1900 block of Millington Sq.
— Janay Reece (@janay_reece) January 10, 2024
According to Harford Co. Fire & EMS 1 person was injured & a building inspector had to be requested
We are speaking with homeowners on @wjz as the clean up begins pic.twitter.com/SksMLSwYd3
Sexton said she and her husband ran upstairs to check on their 9-and 12-year-old daughters.
"I don't know the timeframe of everything just because it happened so fast. So now it's just a blur," said Sexton.
What they saw was a part of a large tree that fell straight through their daughter's room. The tree also demolished their deck, fell into part of their living room and leaned down in their basement.
"My daughter did get a cut on her head and some cut on her feet because she was in the room where the tree fell in," Sexton told WJZ.
Outside in the backyard, debris and tree limbs were scattered. Landscaping and cleanup crews worked to get rid of the two trees that fell on the Sexton's home and two other residences.
"Yes, the one fell into the woods and the one fell onto the houses," said John Darney, an estimator with Harford Tree Experts and Landscaping, Inc. "And you can see, it is about 24 inches in diameter. It fell and kind of split properties --- for all three properties."
"I'm actually a licensed daycare provider," Sexton said. "I provide services to a lot of kids in our community to do before and after care. So, at this point, I've also lost my house. We all lost our house, but I've also lost my income with my job."
While it looks to be a long road ahead, Sexton said she's thankful her family is safe and alive.
"But we're all OK and that's most important, and that's what we keep just saying," Sexton said. "We've made it out OK."