Tree, power lines trap man in Lake Forest home
Published 11:14 am Thursday, August 30, 2012
Fallen trees damaged homes Thursday morning in the Lake Forest subdivision off Culkin Road.
The porch of Brad and Kori Babb’s home at 715 Lake Forest Drive took the brunt of the damage as a tree destroyed the porch and left water seeping in through the window seal.
Brad Babb is an assistant coach at Warren Central High School, and his wife is a soccer coach at Vicksburg High School.
“It’s dripping like a faucet,” Kori Babb said.
About 6 a.m. the couple felt the house shake but did not discover the tree until shortly after 8 a.m. Sewer was also backed up in both bathrooms of the house, the Babbs said, but they plan to ride out the storm at home.
“I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t be able to stay here,” Brad Babb said.
He expected to tarp his roof and stop the leak once the rain let up later Thursday afternoon.
Across the street at 714 Lake Forest Drive, a tree fell and became entangled in power lines, but power was still on at Thomas H. Lewis Sr.’s home.
Lewis was asleep when his daughter called to tell him that the tree had missed his house by inches. He was unable to leave through the front door Thursday afternoon because the tree still contained a live power line. Despite the large fallen tree, Lewis’ Internet, television and phone were not interrupted.
“So far I haven’t missed a thing,” Lewis said.
Lewis had woken up earlier in the morning but fell back asleep. He said he thinks the tree fell about 6 a.m.
“I guess this woke me up and I didn’t realize it woke me up,” Lewis said.
Because his Internet was still working, Lewis was able to file an online insurance claim from his home as he watched emergency officials assess the damages to the exterior of his house.