Tree kills New Jersey father during storm in East Orange. Power outages persist statewide.
EAST ORANGE, N.J. -- A New Jersey man was fatally crushed by a tree on Wednesday night in East Orange.
Officials said 30-year-old Juan Jose Angeles Lopez was killed when a neighbor's tree crashed down in his backyard on North Munn Avenue. Lopez had been out barbecuing with his family, and he was trying to put things away as the storm hit.
"It's unbelievable, man, it's unexpected. One minute, we're out there barbecuing, having some drinks. The next minute, a big old tree just fell down and toppled," said Carlos, the victim's brother-in-law. "You can't expect that."
The brother-in-law said Lopez was securing a patio umbrella before the worst of the storm hit. That's when the tree came crashing down.
"I went inside for 10 minutes. All I heard was a thump. When I came back outside, it was a mess," Carlos said.
Relatives, neighbors and first responders converged on the scene in an effort to rescue Lopez, but, sadly, were unable to.
"It was just a bunch of people. We had neighbors scattered everywhere trying to help. A lot of cops, firefighters," Carlos said.
East Orange community rallying around the family
Lopez was a chef at a local restaurant and leaves behind two step children and a daughter, according to relatives. His wife is also 7 months pregnant with another child.
East Orange is now collecting baby food, diapers and clothing for the family. Supplies can be dropped off at the Health Department. Mayor Ted Green and other city officials visited the home Thursday morning to offer their condolences.
"Because we all here have kids. We have family members. And this tragedy is definitely heartfelt here in the city of East Orange," Green said.
Storm damage and trees down around New Jersey
A neighboring apartment building in East Orange was also damaged. The fire department was working to make sure that building is safe to live in.
"Our inspectors were up there already. We'll be moving forward, conducting further investigations into that," East Orange Acting Fire Chief Bruce Davis said.
Less than a mile away, a smaller tree fell against a house on North 17th Street. No injuries were reported.
Severe weather caused storm damage and power outages in other parts of the state.
About 10 miles to the southwest, in Mountainside, dozens of large trees came crashing down.
Also, a massive branch pierced the roof of a two-story home on Warburton Avenue in Hawthorne. The homeowner said it crashed into two rooms on the second floor, as he and his wife were watching television downstairs. They were forced to stay elsewhere for the night.
New Jersey power outages
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