Storm knocks massive tree onto brownstone in Brooklyn: "It was scary"
NEW YORK -- Monday night's storm took down trees across the area, including one that snapped in half and fell onto a brownstone in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.
"It was scary, because it was right against the door and it was on the roof," the homeowner, named Frank, told CBS2. "It was like, Oh my god, this is a big tree, look at this tree."
The massive tree damaged the roof, and a branch crashed through the front fence.
"The corners got completely crushed and knocked out the fence, the iron railing," a family member, named Bill Boshell, added. "So it's pretty good damage there."
Down trees could be seen all over the region, like on Marion Avenue in Fordham, the Bronx or another in Woodhaven, Queens.
Across the river in New Jersey, a tree uprooted and fell in front of a home on Fairview Avenue in Cedar Grove.
In order for the family inside to escape, they had to leave through the garage, because the front door was blocked.
"It started to rain, I heard it pelting on the window. Then all of a sudden, it sounded like a train went through, and the wind howled. And then ba-da-boom," said homeowners Rick Hanifan.
Reality kicked in when many residents woke up Tuesday.
In Bay Ridge, Boshell said the Parks Department will pull the tree off the home, and a roofing company will assess the damage and replace whatever needs to be fixed.
"Thank God nobody else was hurt -- or nobody was hurt in general, very lucky," he said.
Words he and others say they can't emphasize enough.