Oak Tree Crushes Kent Home

A massive oak tree fell and crushed a home at the corner of Vine and Oak streets around noon today.

No one was injured when the tree sliced through the roof and smashed the kitchen area of the house at 238 E. Oak St.

"We've seen better days," said Denise Woolf, who lives at the home with her son, Briton, and husband Paul. "Nobody's hurt. (The) pets are saved. It's as simple as that."

Both Briton and Denise were inside the house when the tree toppled over in high winds.

"The ground started shaking," Briton said. He was sitting in the living room watching TV when he grabbed his cell phone and rushed outside. Briton said he was hit by a branch as he ran out.

Paul Woolf, who runs a tree removal service, said he planned to cut the tree off the house before deciding what to do next.

"Right now, we're all in shock," he said.

It's unclear what caused the tree to uproot and fall over, but winds reached speeds of at least 25 mph in Kent Tuesday, according to the Cleveland office of the National Weather Service.

Robert Nitzsche, Kent's chief building inspector, said he estimated the damage at $75,000 if the home wasn't a complete loss. He said they were going to wait until Ohio Edison turned power off to the house and the homeowner removed the tree before determining if it should be condemned.

"We'll more than likely condemn it," he said.