A family awoke Friday morning to an “old growth” tree collapsing on their Wheaton Hills home. Two adults, a cat and a dog escaped the home without injuries.
The backyard tree fell into the home on Collins Avenue at around 4:45 a.m., Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service’s Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer told Montgomery Community Media. The family evacuated the home themselves, even with their front door and other rooms in their home crushed.
The Red Cross is assisting the displaced family, according to Piringer.
While the exact cause of the tree collapse is unknown, Piringer said the state of the mature tree and the recent storms likely contributed. The tree had a shallow root system, something Piringer typically sees in fallen over trees.
Some tell-tale signs that a tree might be a safety concern are decaying root systems, rotted branches and a lack of leaves in the springtime according to Piringer.
“We would recommend that anybody that has these large trees that are close to their home … to have checked by an arborist occasionally,” Piringer said in an interview with Montgomery Community Media.
The tree snapped a utility pole, causing power outages in nearby homes. There was also a small gas leak in the damaged home, which was quickly controlled. Some cars on Collins Avenue were also damaged.
Two roads are closed because of the collapse: Dawson Avenue between Blueridge Avenue and Newport Mill Road; Collins Avenue between Parker Avenue and Ivydale Street.
