Tree falls into home during severe thunderstorm displacing woman in South Jersey

Yahoo

17-05-2025

The Brief
A Gloucester County woman is displaced after a tree falls into the side of her home.
Power lines were downed after heavy rain and wind.
WILLIAMSTOWN, N.J. - Evidence of storm damage is littered throughout the community of Williamstown, in Gloucester County, where the most significant damage was a tree falling into a home during the height of severe weather.
What we know
A severe thunderstorm came through Gloucester County leaving a trail of damage behind in one Williamstown neighborhood.
A tree into a home is the most severe damage on the 100 block of Bellwyn Avenue near West Cushman Avenue.
The woman who lived inside fortunately got out without injury.
Other smaller trees and branches also came down during the storm, along with power lines.
Atlantic City Electric arrived on scene late into the night after a second round of rain came through around 8:30 Friday night.
What they're saying
"I looked out my kitchen window and I seen that tree in the house," said Billiejo Baker. She is talking about the house next door. Her neighbor is displaced after the gigantic tree came crashing down onto her home.
"I went out the side door to go and check on her because she lives alone," said Billiejo. "The front bedroom on the corner and the front bedroom next to it. It went through both of them."
"She was in there trying to find her cats and we were in there. All our neighbors were checking on her and helping her but her cats are still in there," said Billiejo.
Al Baker cannot believe the damage.
"It's unbelievable," he said.
Baker said he knew it was not going to be good but he did not think it would be this bad.
"I was outside when it first started hitting. I am like, 'It is time to get in the house.' Five minutes later, all this happened," he said. He describes hearing the tree hit his neighbor's house.
"I thought a bomb went off," he said. A tree in his yard took down a power line.
Big picture view
The community spent the evening helping others clean up what they could until a tree removal company came in to chop and remove the big stuff.
"We're just neighbors. We look out for each other," said Billiejo.