Freddy Gracia had just climbed into his car in his Saanich driveway on Thursday when the massive Garry oak from his front yard crashed down on top of him.
B次元官网网址淪cared the hell out of me,B次元官网网址� said Gracia, who survived the ordeal untouched but is still dealing with the stress. B次元官网网址淚 couldnB次元官网网址檛 get out of the car. My door was blocked by branches, I was panicking.B次元官网网址�
The tree fell during the heavy rains on Jan. 3. For now the family is unsure exactly why the tree fell.
Gracia was fine, but the roof of his car caved in enough that he had to kick open a passenger door to get out.
B次元官网网址淚 was waiting for my wife to come out,B次元官网网址� Gracia said. B次元官网网址淪he had just run back in to get something.B次元官网网址�
Luck was an understatement. The Gracia home is also a daycare. If it was next week, there very well would have been children playing in the front yard, if not somewhere else the oak crashed as it came onto the house, the yardB次元官网网址檚 three playhouses, the fence, the car, and other play features.
The family guesses itB次元官网网址檚 about 100 years old.
B次元官网网址淚t was here when we bought the house, 35 years ago,B次元官网网址� Gracia said. B次元官网网址淪cary.B次元官网网址�
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Their home insurance provider connect them with Onside Restoration but the company is so busy with fallen trees on Salt Spring Island that theyB次元官网网址檙e hoping to visit Friday or Saturday. With the tree down on the driveway and entrance to the house, Saanich Fire popped a section of the fence out so the family could access the home.
B次元官网网址淥nside Restoration will use a crane to hold the tree up so they can cut it,B次元官网网址� said family friend Pat Williams who came to stay there. B次元官网网址淎nd itB次元官网网址檚 [slipped] closer to the house. The only thing supporting it is the fence and a little branch.B次元官网网址�
Mariah Gracia, who lives in the home, was standing in front window when she heard a loud crackling noise. The neighbours thought it was an earthquake.
B次元官网网址淚t was a shock, for sure,B次元官网网址� Mariah said. B次元官网网址淲e had people come a while ago to trim the branches, [away from the electrical lines] and we asked if the tree was okay, and they said it was fine.B次元官网网址�
ItB次元官网网址檚 the only place it could have fallen without doing more damage, Mariah said, as it avoided the house and the power lines.
In the meantime, the Garry oak has slipped closer to the house as the bulk of the weight is supported where the trunk rests on the fence and one branch about mid-tree that is stabbed directly into the ground, Mariah said.
There are branches leaning on the roof, over MariahB次元官网网址檚 bedroom, and though the roof has not collapsed, Mariah is not sleeping in there until sheB次元官网网址檚 told itB次元官网网址檚 safe.
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