Updated: Tree Crashes Through Roof of Home; Couple Not Hurt

Jack Uelsmann and his wife, Carol, were sitting in the breezeway of their Clawson home late Wednesday afternoon when they heard a loud noise – the sound of a 110-foot tree crashing through the roof of their two-story home.

"I was scared out my mind," Carol Uelsmann said.

Neither of the Uelsmanns was injured, but the home at the corner of Phillips Avenue and North Washington, where the couple has lived for 25 years, didn't escape quite so easily.  The 110-foot tree that split in half and fell into the home  destroyed a second-floor sewing room.  

The  incident about 4:45 p.m. seemed to be the worst caused by Wednesday's severe thunderstorm, but there was widespread damage to other Clawson neighborhoods as well.

Debris from the Uelsmanns' roof, ceiling and walls was scattered through the destroyed room. The back of the home, which was built in 1954, and the roof had severe damage; tree debris was strewn across the backyard and front yard. A power line fell in the backyard, but the couple said they still had power.

Clawson police officer Ian Calamita was at the Uelsmann's home Wednesday evening to make sure there was no immediate danger to residents or neighbors from the downed power lines and collapsed tree.

"It's the worst damage I've seen," Calamita said.

"That's a big tree," said Jack Uelsmann, who planned to contact the couple's homeowners insurance company about the incident.

Storm damage elsewhere

Police, firefighters and Department of Public Works workers were out Wednesday evening inspecting the damage and downed power lines in the neighborhoods and were helping to clean up debris. Countless branches were scattered throughout residents' yards and City Park.

Before inspecting the Uelsmanns' home, officials were at a home on West Elmwood responding to a downed power line that had fallen into a resident's pool. No one was injured.

As of Thursday morning, DTE Energy reported 30 homes throughout Clawson with power outages.

James Van Dyke, who lives on the 700 block of Phillips, said he sat in his living room and watched at least five trees fall on his street. Van Dyke has lived in his home since 1962 and said he hadn't seen a storm knock down trees in 10 years.

"I couldn't believe it," Van Dyke said. "They need to get rid of all these trees. They are all big and old."

Van Dyke's next door neighbor, Kelly Brothers, said she was not home when the tree in her front yard fell on her roof. She said she was shocked when a neighbor called to tell her the news. The tree that fell caused minor damage and the inside of her house was unharmed.

"I set myself up for the worst," Brothers said, as she picked up the strewn tree branches in her front yard. "So I was kind of relieved when I got home."

Brothers said she also expects an insurance contractor to inspect her home on Thursday.

Clean-up efforts

On Thursday morning, DPW workers continued to clean up tree branches that had fallen across city parks and yards from the storm. Workers were out until about 8 p.m. Wednesday, said Laura Willard, a DPW office worker.

Willard said the storm snapped several power wires in Clawson and the city called on DTE Energy to help clear them.

"It was pretty extensive," Willard said.

Residents with branches in their yard are asked to set them near the street and DPW workers will remove them in the next couple days.

If you have photos of storm damage, you can add them to the photo gallery or send them to nicquel.terry@patch.com with details.

Patch Contributor contributed to this report.