Huge tree falls on Summit family's cars, knocks out power to some

SUMMIT, N.J. (WABC) -- A huge tree in New Jersey came crashing down out of nowhere onto a family's two cars.

It happened in the Union County City of Summit.

Crews worked to remove the enormous centuries-old tree from the middle of Hawthorne Place.

"Kind of sounded like a plane was crashing," said Seamus McFadden, a resident.

Seamus McFadden was at a loss for words.

The 18-year-old recent graduate from Summit High School was home alone Tuesday afternoon, when out of the blue, the historic tree in his backyard came crashing down obliterating his family's two cars.

"I just heard this, like, crash noise kind of sounded like an earthquake, all the lights went off, I ran downstairs just saw this tree like sprawled out on the ground," Seamus McFadden said.

He called his dad James.

"I didn't realize how much damage was done," said James McFadden, the homeowner.

He rushed home to find devastation in his driveway.

He's owned the house in Summit for nearly two decades, and has had the old tree trimmed regularly.

But all this time, as it grew leaves and appeared healthy on the outside, it was rotting away on the inside. This was the day it finally gave way.

"All the storms we're had over the last few years, this survived it, but finally on a regular calm day it fell over," James McFadden said.

The power company, on standby for summer storm damage, quickly rearranged the grid so only a handful of homes were in the dark as this family cherished their lucky day.

"Luckily nobody was injured. That could have been a lot worse," James McFadden said.