An elderly woman was killed after a tree fell on her car during severe storms in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, officials said.
The woman, who was in her early 80s, was inside a car on Main Street and 9th Avenue on Wednesday when a tree fell on the vehicle. The woman died from her injuries, according to the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety.
"Tomorrow’s never promised and this is just one of those reminders," Collegeville resident Theresa Njoroge told NBC10. “It’s absolutely heartbreaking. I can’t imagine just driving down the street to go to the store, or whatever, and all of a sudden a tree falls… on you.”
A witness called 911 just after 1 p.m. to report that a tree had fallen on a car, Montgomery County Department of Public Safety Deputy Director of Public Safety Todd Stieritz said. The caller told the dispatcher that someone was inside the car and looked to be hurt.
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First responders responded to the scene one minute later, Stieritz explained. The fire department was able to free the person from the car around 1:19 p.m.
"The police department confirmed at 1:33 PM that there had been a fatality," Stieritz told NBC10.
Officials have not yet revealed the victim’s name.
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Several days of nonstop rain has saturated the ground and uprooted trees across the region.
“Motorists definitely want to slow it down," Jana Tidwell of AAA said. "Trees that are down that could also be tangled with live electrical wires. Approaching those circumstances is not worth the risk. Even though it’s going to take you a little more time to turn around and find another route, you want to do that, especially in the dark.”
Tidwell says for drivers to be on the lookout for water on the roadways as well as objects in the road, especially if you're traveling overnight.
She added that Thursday morning's commute will likely look different and suggests that everyone gives themselves extra time as they head out early.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.
