Weather

Large pine tree slams onto vehicles, power lines in Berkeley

By
Friday, February 10, 2017
The CHP has closed Hwy 17 in both directions due to eminent slide danger at Granite Creek Road and Summit Road.
BERKELEY, Calif. (KGO) -- Crews are cleaning up after a large pine tree fell on two vehicles in Berkeley Friday morning. The tree fell at Parkside Drive and Claremont Avenue.
The fallen tree also took out some power lines and triggered a power outage.
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When a giant tree comes crashing down on your car, turns out it might shock you so much you don't even know what to say.

"It was so outrageous, so ridiculous," said Evie Wozniak, Berkeley resident.

Wozniak and her husband Gordon were just cleaning up from dinner last night when it happened. The tree is across the street from their Berkeley home.

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"The TV went off and there was this great big noise. I couldn't figure out what was happening," said Wozniak.

It didn't just take out their car, their neighbor's van was also totaled and unfortunately for him, had just received a lot of expensive TLC.



"We just winterized it, got new tires for it, we just got the smog certificate and sent out the DMV renewal yesterday," said Joel Biatch, Berkeley resident.

He's also recovering from hip replacement surgery. Not a good time to be down a car.

"Normally I bike everywhere, so of all times I need to get around in my car, it's now! That's pretty funny -frustrating, but funny," said Biatch.
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The death of this tree has some here on Parkside Drive now taking a second look at the other tall trees surrounding their homes, wondering which ones need to be inspected or taken out. But overall, the neighborhood seems to be keeping this in perspective.

"It's just a car you realize it is totally trivial," said Biatch.
No injuries have been reported.

There are no reports of injuries.

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