NEW JERSEY (WABC) — Two people were injured as severe storms swept through the Tri-State area Friday evening, knocking down numerous trees and damaging homes.
Storm damage in New Jersey
1 firefighter injured after lightning strike causes house fire in Bogota
A lightning strike caused a house fire in Bogota, New Jersey, according to the Fire Chief William Hordern.
Police rescued a man in a wheelchair and his dog from the basement of the house.
One firefighter was hurt in the blaze and was transported to a local hospital. He is expected to be okay.
Neighbors say they heard load claps of thunder just after 3:30 p.m. When they went outside, they saw the house on Walnut Avenue engulfed in flames.
“It looked like there were fireworks everywhere– like they were exploding fireworks inside the house,” said Michelle Taveras, a neighbor. “It was actually pretty scary.”
Several departments responded to the three-alarm fire including Bogota, Teaneck, Englewood, Bergenfield and Hackensack. It took the firefighters just under two hours to get the blaze under control.
“The environment today it was extremely humid out, so the firefighters were getting exhausted a little quicker than normal,” Chief Horden said.
Officials are investigating whether the lightning struck the electrical box outside of the house, causing the fire.
Tree hits home, destroys brand new car in Madison
Two people were inside a home in Madison, New Jersey when a 70-feet-tall Maple tree split in half. Parts of the tree damaged the back of the two-family home.
“There’s a giant hole in the ceiling, there’s water dripping down,” said Jimmy Kilman, who lives in the house. “I look outside, and there is a tree on the car.”
The homeowners say that the Honda Odyssey damaged in the storm was brand new. The car’s windshield was shattered, and hood damaged by debris.
Within an hour, clean-up crews arrived on scene to break down the tree for removal.
Woman injured after tree falls on house in Madison
One person was injured after a tree fell on a house in Madison, New Jersey.
The tree took out a skylight in the home. The resident sustained lacerations to her face and head.
She was treated by EMS at the scene, and her condition is not known at this time.
The house where the tree fell has been boarded up.
Large tree falls on street in Maplewood
A large tree fell across Hughes Street in Maplewood, New Jersey halting traffic in both directions.
NJ transit suspensions due to downed tree
NJ Transit temporarily suspended rail service along the Morris and Essex Line and Gladstone Branch in both directions between Millburn and Broad Street due to a downed tree across tracks near Highland Avenue. Service has since resumed with 60-minute delays.
Ground stops at major airports
The storms also led to temporary ground stops at LaGuardia, John F. Kennedy, and Newark airports. The ground stop has since lifted, but delays were expected.
Storm damage in New York
Tree falls on school bus in Carmel
A large tree fell on a school bus in Carmel, New York on Agor Lane between Alona Drive and Emily Lane just after 4 p.m.
First responders discovered the school bus, carrying a driver and 25 children, stranded in the middle of the road with its front end severely damaged by a sizeable tree entangled with wires.
Mahopac Schools Transportation made travel arrangements for the students. No students were hurt in the crash.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
ALSO READ | ‘Heartbreaking damage’ after Hurricane Idalia
A set of concrete steps carried by storm waters from another building sits amidst the wreckage in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., after the passage of Hurricane Idalia, Aug. 30, 2023.
Rebecca Blackwell
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