Disaster struck a Penn Hills household as a towering tree collapsed onto their residence last night, rendering the structure uninhabitable. The 700 block of Southern Avenue became the scene of a sudden calamity around 8:39 p.m. after severe weather likely played a role in the incident. According to a report by WPXI, the Penn Hills No. 7 Volunteer Fire Company responded posthaste, confirming the significant damage inflicted upon the home.
In the wake of the tree's collapse, fortunately bereft of bodily harm, the occupants found themselves suddenly without shelter. In a statement detailed in TribLIVE, Penn Hills Fire Chief Joe McMeekin highlighted a silver lining amidst the rubble: the couple were on the first floor at the time of the incident, unscathed despite the chaos that ensued above. Storms not only on that evening but also from the preceding months may have been accomplices, softening the earth until it could no longer anchor the arboreal giant.
As the couple grapples with their suddenly upturned lives, the American Red Cross has stepped in to provide necessary aid. Firefighters remained on-site past 10 p.m. to ensure the area was safe and to begin the process of assessment and eventual removal of the fallen behemoth.
