The owners were inside when a large tree came crashing down outside their home in Maplewood, in the midsts of heavy winds and rain from Tropical Storm Fay.
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"I heard rolling sound and kind of a crunch," homeowner Eileen Fedronas said.
An evening of relaxation for Fedronas turned anxious as she looked out her front window to the moments after the crashing sound of the tree.
In home surveillance video you can see the tree toppling over.
"I started crying, but I was more concerned about my kids ... they were fine," Fedronas said.
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As the high winds and rain pummeled the area and flooded streets, people and their vehicles had to be rescued from floodwaters.
Massive flooding in Hackensack, New Jersey
"Unfortunately, no matter how much we try to tell people via social media the barricades are there for a reason," Hackensack Fire Department Capt. Justin Derevyanik said.
As it downpoured in Hackensack, the call came for two people and a cat stranded on West Pleasantview Avenue.
On some residential streets in Newark, rain water covered sidewalks and partially submerged cars.
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Under an overpass on Route 22, a driver got stranded as the water rose.
It was a terrible storm day, but it could've been worse.
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