A New York state fire department said it took about two hours to rescue a woman who was pinned down by a 5,000-pound tree that crashed into her bedroom. The Vigilant Fire Company of Great Neck said the 5,000-pound tree crashed into the 20-year-old woman’s second-story bedroom while she was sleeping just after midnight early Monday.
Fire officials said they used hydraulic lifts to free the woman in a 2-hour operation that involved responders from Vigilant, Alert Fire Company, the Nassau County Police Emergency Service Unit, the Emergency Ambulance Bureau, the Nassau County Tactical Rescue Team and the Nassau County Fire Marshal’s HazMat Team.
“It was a great example of how five different entities can work closely together and get one job accomplished,” Vigilant Chief Josh Forst said.
The woman was hospitalized in stable condition. Police said the woman may have incurred more serious injuries if she hadn’t been sleeping on her side when the tree fell. Police said investigators are working to determine why the tree fell.