CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — A Chesterfield family is counting their blessings after a massive tree smashed through the roof of their home, and into their den Wednesday afternoon during a severe thunderstorm.
William Singleton said he was relaxing in bed after a day at work when the huge tree fell through the ceiling into his home.
“I was just about to text my wife about the storm and then you hear the big boom. I heard the big boom and kind of shake,” Singleton said.
Singleton said he normally would have been watching sports in the den of his home, an area that is now blocked off and littered with debris. Thankfully, nobody in his family was injured when the tree came crashing in.
“That’s what I would’ve done after work sitting there and instead of laying in the bed,” he said. ” “You’ve got to thank God for every little thing these days it seems like.”
The tree left a gaping hole in the ceiling of the Singleton home, exposed and broke through the wooden support structure, and tore out insulation – which is now seen littering the home.
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A massive tree fell onto, and into, the Singleton home Wednesday afternoon. Debris littered the home. (8News) -
A massive tree fell onto, and into, the Singleton home Wednesday afternoon. Debris littered the home. (8News) -
A massive tree fell onto, and into, the Singleton home Wednesday afternoon. Debris littered the home. (8News) -
A massive tree fell onto, and into, the Singleton home Wednesday afternoon. Debris littered the home. (8News)
At speeds clocked at up to 60 miles-per-hour, the severe weather traveled quickly across the commonwealth Wednesday afternoon into the evening. At its height, more than 70,000 customers across the Richmond area were without power, and the Singleton family weren’t the only ones to have extreme home damage.
In Richmond, high wind speeds ripped the roof off of an apartment building on Arthur Ashe Boulevard, and five adults were displaced after a huge tree crashed through their home on Goddin Street.
But, Singleton said it’s important to keep things in perspective and is staying positive about his circumstances.
“It’s just natural causes. There’s no one to be upset at. Nothing to be upset at,” Singleton said. “This could have been much worse.”
The Singleton family was assisted by the American Red Cross, and will be spending the night somewhere else, while the tree is removed from their home.
