ARNOLD, Md. — A Shore Acres family is cleaning up after a powerful storm knocked down trees throughout the neighborhood — including one that landed on top of their garage, trapping a wheelchair-accessible van inside.
"I first thought it was a tornado," Bill Lowrey said.
Lowrey, who has lived in the area for more than 20 years, said he has never experienced anything like it. While most of the downed trees in the neighborhood fell into the road, the tree on his property came down directly on the garage.
Storm topples tree onto Shore Acres garage, trapping wheelchair van
His daughter, Lexi Lowrey, said the family received multiple alerts on their phones before the storm hit but did not initially think much of them.
"We all got alerts on our phone at least four of them, usually we don't really think of it that much but when it started happening and we kind of hear the wind, and then we heard kind of like a crash, we kind of ran to the back of the house to see the tree on the garage," Lexi said.
Bill said the storm, though brief, was intense.
"Im 63 years old and I don't ever remember seeing this, the wind, I thought the trees in front was coming over also," Bill said.
In addition to the damage on their property, the family and their neighbors lost power throughout the night and into Wednesday morning.
"When the power lines caught fire, we all lost power so they had to wait till the fire gets put out before they turn the electric off to work on the wires," Bill said.
With power restored, the family's focus has shifted to the garage. While most of the items inside can be replaced, their most pressing concern is freeing the van.
"I've got a 24-year-old son he lives in a wheelchair basically and that its only form of transportation in and out of the house and he goes places everyday he doesn't just stay in the house," Bill said.
Despite the damage, Bill said he is grateful the situation was not worse.
"I was glad it wasn't my house and nobody got hurt," Bill said.
A tree removal company has already provided an estimate and is scheduled to return Thursday to fully remove the tree from the roof. Once the tree is cleared, the family's insurance company will reassess the damage to the garage.
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