Naples police, fire departments respond to severe weather incidents

Reporter: Breana Ross Writer: Jack Lowenstein
Published: Updated:
Credit: WINK News.

Naples law enforcement and fire-rescue agencies responded to a number of incidents related to severe weather Sunday.

Sunday storms brought strong winds that caused trees to come down in the City of Naples. The fire department spent hours cleaning up the mess. In one incident, a tree fell onto a house.

Our crew was on scene where a palm tree had fallen onto the roof of a house on Broad Avenue. And that was hours after a storm with 60 mph wind gusts knocked it over. Thankfully no one was hurt inside the home.

Homeowner Alexa Phillips told us she still remembers the sound she heard when the tree hit her home.

“It was explosive, and nothing happened, so I just turned all the lights out and sat on the couch,” Phillips said.

Phillips’ power stayed on throughout the storm, but, just a few moments later, she saw the damage done to her home.

“My neighbor called and said there’s a tree on your house,” Phillips said. “I went, ‘What?” I thought she was kinda kidding. I walked outside, and there was the tree.”

Just down the road, a fallen power line and tree branches lined the road.

Neighbors such as Keith Gahagan said, the winds were so fierce, it looked like a stronger storm.

“I came out and saw how windy it was, thought it looked like a hurricane for a minute,” Gahagan said.

Although neighbors say they experienced power outages when the storm hit, many say their power is restored now.

“All I say is I’m very lucky and just safe,” Phillips said.

Phillips said she can still stay in her house tonight. She’s expecting someone remove the tree Monday.

Several neighbors told us they lost power when the storm hit, but they have it back now.

Naples Police Department told us it responded to around 50 calls during the afternoon because of the severe weather.

Phillips believes it’s no coincidence that the tree fell right over a stone outside her home memorializing her parents

“I think my mom and dad were watching over me,” Phillips said.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.