CLEVELAND — Heavy winds that rolled through Northeast Ohio Sunday are to blame for knocking over a massive tree on West 52nd Street near Franklin Boulevard in Cleveland.
“So we were having a casual Sunday. We heard this big kind of crash,” Elena Kelley said. “We were literally duck and covering like 'is this a tornado?'”
News 5 crews witnessed three cars crushed under the massive tree, traffic blocked off and residents wondering how or when they will be able to leave their homes.
Elena Kelley and a friend were in her living room around 2:30 p.m. Sunday when they heard the tree come crashing down.
“The officer literally jumped their fence, jumped our fence to get into our backyard and then knocked on the door,” Kelley said. “Got all our info and said, ‘Turn the heat up really high. We don’t know how long you won’t have power. Don’t leave because there’s all these dangerous wires and don’t leave your house.’”
Kelley said friends and family were astonished at photos she sent them and were thankful she was not injured.
“So I called off work tomorrow and I was like, ‘So my car is under a tree and I don’t really know if it’s going to be drivable. I don’t think so,’” Kelley said. “So I was just taking videos and everything. I’m thinking insurance, I need to get all of this documented because clearly it’s not okay.”
Kelley said Sunday’s storm damage is unlike anything she’s ever seen.
“We’ve just been FaceTiming people out the window like, 'yeah, we’re not joking. This thing’s huge,'” Kelley said. “I’m just looking all over and I’m like... 'this is a movie.'”
Despite multiple downed power lines, homes and businesses on the street do have power as of 10 p.m. Sunday.
There is no word yet from cleanup crews about when the tree will be hauled off and debris will be cleared.
RELATED: Strong winds leave thousands without power in Northeast Ohio
