High Winds Take Down Trees, Power Lines Across Massachusetts

NORFOLK (CBS) - Tree Tech of Foxboro had 20 crews responding to tree emergencies on Thursday.

A crew spent the day on Everett Street in Wrentham where a 90-foot pine was damaged by the wind. It had been hit by lightning within the past two decades and the wind proved too much.

Wind gusts reached 50 to 60 miles per hour in spots across the region.

"We got flooded today," said Kevin Cleveland of Tree Tech. "Anywhere towards 30 miles per hour, you're walking around and you just know it. Oh, it's going down."

In New Boston, New Hampshire, a 75-foot maple tree nearly cut a house in half. "I looked out the window and instantly saw the hole in the roof and said that's amazing," said neighbor Peter Clark.

No one was home at time. The owner and her daughter had just moved in and most of their stuff is still packed in boxes.

Downed trees caused problems across the area including for homeowners in Keene, NH who found a tree leaning on their home.

In Duxbury, a tree blocked Autumn Avenue. Canton, Holliston and Rutland dealt with their share. Winds were blamed for uprooting a large tree in Salem, Massachusetts
Kevin Cleveland who is a Massachusetts certified arborist, said don't be too quick to blame the drought for any of that.

"The drought will have a long-lasting effect on these and future damage could occur mostly from insect and disease," said Cleveland.

Thursday's winds took down trees that have long been in trouble.

"We are seeing weak points of attachment, heavy trees that weren't pruned in the past, lightning damage," said Cleveland. "We saw a lot of big stuff fail today, fortunately haven't heard of anyone getting hurt."

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• Katie Brace