Power lines snapped, trees in homes and a man was killed in Carroll County on Monday night.
Just before the 5 p.m. rush hour the sky turned dark and heavy wind rolled through.
Dorothy Grubb said the lightning shook her mobile home the night before, and the wind and rain made it impossible to see.
“I said, 'oh it’s coming' and like about two minutes after I got in the door it came down like WOAH,” said Grubb.
Roads were blocked and at least six homes had damage from downed trees.
Bruce Bouch, the spokesperson for Gamber and Community Fire Company, confirmed a tragedy on Bloom Street. An 89-year-old man was found dead underneath a tree that fell on top of him in his driveway.
“We’re not sure why, I don’t know if he was assessing the damage at the time, but a neighbor came home and found him under the tree,” said Bouch.
The tree was moved and emergency life-saving measures were attempted, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to the Carroll County Sheriff's Office, an initial investigation revealed that he was standing in the driveway when high winds caused the tree to fall.
Jan Landsman and his wife were home as the storm came inside when branches started pounding through the roof just feet from where they were sitting.
“I could actually see the tree coming because I was sitting at the computer over there and I could see out this door,” Landsman said. “I saw the one coming, the one they had lifted off of there anyway, that went through the kitchen.”
There was wide ranging damage—quick strong and destructive.
“It knocked pictures off the wall. That has never happened to us in 44 years,” said Grubb.
As crews work to restore power and clear roadways, a family is gripping the fact that they lost a loved one.
“When warnings do occur, please listen to those warnings,” Bouch said. “There is a reason for them, because incidents have happened in the past. If you feel there is some serious damage outside the home, be very wary. Just because only a tree limb is down doesn’t mean the tree hasn’t already been weakened and another portion or even the whole tree could still come down.”
