A Coral Gables family's home and car were severely damaged after a tree, standing for nearly half a century, was uprooted during a violent weather tantrum. The tree, situated across the street from the University of Miami, fell onto their property along the 1300 block of Campo Sano Avenue. The collapse happened in the wee hours of this morning, amid the area being hit with strong storms.
The family, shaken but unharmed, woke up to what homeowner Zina Salman described as a tumultuous event. "It sound(ed) like a nuclear bomb," Salman said in a Local 10 interview. The tree's fall damaged not only their home but also shattered their car's windows, narrowly avoiding to cause any injuries to the family. Salman expressed relief, "I'm thankful it happened around 4:30, not at, like, 7 when we go and drop off the kids otherwise it would have definitely been a life-threatening situation."
The streets were closed off by police from Coral Gables and the University of Miami as cleanup efforts were underway. At the time of the incident, other residents in the neighborhood reached out to check on the family's safety. According to a WSVN report, the homeowner, Zina Alhakim, recalled the impact saying, "It sounded like a bomb went off when the tree toppled over."
As the family begins to deal with the aftermath, questions hover around the compensation for the damages. The land on which the fallen tree was planted is owned by Coral Gables, complicating potential claims. Currently, the extent of the damages and the insurance process remains undetermined. The distressed family is now forced to quickly figure out the next steps with their insurance policy.
