Wind knocks down trees, wires, toilets

ST. JOSEPH, Mich. – Bitter cold winds from the first big storm of the season hit St. Joseph Michigan the hardest Friday morning. Wires, trees, signs and portable toilets were all knocked over.

There was a recorded wind gust of 60 miles an hour. It was enough to knock part the bluff's Christmas tree onto a main power line.

Trees weren't the only victims to the storm's fierce wind.

Swinging traffic lights, fire-escapes, portable toilets and even the St. Joe Christmas tree bit the dust.

But thanks to the weather, one woman now has a Christmas tree to spare.

"We were so surprised. We looked out our window this morning and we had a view,” said Susan Brooks.

A 75 foot pine tree fell outside her home.

The tree's owner is thankful the tree's branches didn't end up in her bed.

"We've got our newborn, well he's 7 months old so that would have been terrifying had it come towards our house. Our room is right there,” said Jennifer Zakrzewski.

Luckily, they can just laugh it off.

“A lot of pine in the yard. A beautiful scent of pine,” said Brooks.

Not everyone is laughing about the area's damage.

"I heard a big crash and my wife-she woke up- and it's like 'What's going on?’” said Raheem Hasan.

A giant oak tree uprooted itself, plummeting into a kitchen and porch at one home.

It was so bad, firefighters sent them to the Red Cross.

"I went ahead and shut down her gas and electric and asked that she leave the residence,” said Lieutenant TJ Robertson, Benton Harbor Fire.

Hasan said when branches crashed through his ceiling, he thought he had a burglar.

"I jumped up and grabbed a baseball bat and ran to the back and that's what was going on,” said Hasan.

Lieutenant Robertson said if you see a downed power line call 911 immediately.
 

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