Falling tree tree slices home, pinning someone inside, North Carolina rescuers say

A decades-old tree came crashing through a home in western North Carolina, trapping someone in a web of large branches and broken timbers, rescuers say.

It happened on Lockhart Road in Tryon, and the victim survived, the Tryon Fire Department said in a Feb. 17 news release.

The initial 911 was vague and reported only a “person down,” and it wasn’t until firefighters arrived that they discovered a large tree was inside a two-level home.

Photos show it was rooted in the backyard and sliced the home from front to back. At least one bedroom was destroyed.

“Crews forced entry to make way to locate the subject. The subject was located and pinned by tree limbs and debris,” fire officials said in a news release.

“Engine 2 requested Town of Columbus Fire Department and Saluda Fire & Rescue. Crews worked quickly to free the subject.”

The victim was transferred to Polk County EMS for medical care, officials said.

Details of their injuries were not released.

The incident happened during a period when the National Weather Service had forecast wind gusts of up to 30 mph in the region.

Tryon is about 90 miles west of Charlotte, near the South Carolina state line.

This story was originally published February 18, 2024 at 8:20 AM with the headline "Falling tree tree slices home, pinning someone inside, North Carolina rescuers say."