Tree crashes into South Carolina home, killing woman and trapping daughter, coroner says

A 78-year-old woman was killed Thursday, May 26, when high winds sent a tree crashing into a home near Gaffney, South Carolina, according to Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler.

Thelma Jordan Carroll was found trapped under the debris with her daughter, 58-year-old Phyliss Marie Knighten, who survived, Fowler said.

It happened as a storm front crossed the Upstate, bringing thunderstorms, tornado warnings and hail to counties along the North Carolina state line.

“Carroll was sitting on a wooden bench on the front porch at her daughter’s home at 503 East Jefferies Street about 4:50 p.m. when what is believed to have been straight line winds caused a large tree to fall onto the house,” Fowler said in a news release.

“The roof of the porch collapsed trapping her and daughter ... under the debris. Carroll was pronounced dead at the scene. It took fire and rescue personnel ... over 2 ½ hours to free Knighten.”

Knighten was taken to Spartanburg Medical Center for treatment. Details of her condition were not released.

Four children were also in the home and they “were able to crawl out the window,” Fox Carolina reported.

An examination of the fallen tree showed it was “rotten on the inside near its base.” That made it vulnerable to wind gusts, Fowler said.

The incident remains under investigation and an autopsy will be performed, he said.

This story was originally published May 27, 2022 at 6:12 AM with the headline "Tree crashes into South Carolina home, killing woman and trapping daughter, coroner says."