Tree crashes through roof, none injured

Published 12:17 am Wednesday, March 19, 2008

NATCHEZ — An enormous oak tree that once shaded Emmitt Woods’ home has been relocated — inside his home.

Strong gusts of wind that blew into town on Tuesday toppled the tree; branches punctured the roof and crushed the porch.

The tree was so large it literally covered the entire structure.

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Woods’ wife, Mary Franklin, was inside the home when the tree came crashing down.

“I heard a crack and the lights went off,” she said.

Franklin said she did not know the tree had fallen on the house until she looked from the front window and saw only branches.

No one was injured in the incident. Woods was visiting with a neighbor when the tree blew down.

He said he heard a loud noise and saw sparking from the transformer on the utility pole.

The tree, catching several power lines on the way down, knocked out power to homes in the area surrounding Roosevelt Road in the county.

Standing in almost total darkness, Woods, accompanied by friends and neighbors, considered the best way to de-tree the house.

“I’m going to have a job in the morning,” he said.

Whoever ends up removing the tree will be faced with an arduous task.

The hole the tree’s root system exposed in the earth looked to be approximately 15 feet in diameter.

Woods said he and his wife would be spending the night at his mother’ s house.

“I’m just thankful no one was hurt,” he said.