Times Chronicle & Public Spirit
STORM FATALITY
Perkiomen woman dies after tree falls on car
COLLEGEVILLE >> Tragedy struck as Wednesday’s storm claimed the life of at least one person in Montgomery County.
Mary Baker, 82, of Perkiomen Township, was killed on Wednesday afternoon when a tree fell on her vehicle as she was stopped in traffic near Ursinus College in Collegeville, according to Collegeville Police Chief Barton Bucher.
The Montgomery County Department of Public Safety received a call at 1:03 p.m. that a person was trapped inside a vehicle that a tree fell on at the intersection of East Main Street and East Ninth Avenue in Collegeville, according to Todd Stieritz, deputy director of public affairs for the county’s public safety agency.
The victim, later identified as Baker, was “stopped for traffic at a red light” when a “tree fell onto her car,” Bucher said. Several first responders were dispatched to the area, including the Collegeville-based police and fire departments, and Friendship Ambulance, of Royersford.
The intersection remained shut down for roughly two hours as first responders worked to free Baker from the vehicle. She was the vehicle’s sole occupant and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Storm calls
The Montgomery County Department of Public Safety was inundated with calls for service during the rain event. The Collegeville fatality was one of 2,509 calls recorded from 6 a.m. Wednesday to 6 a.m. Thursday, Stieritz said. It’s unclear if anyone else was injured as a result of the storm.
Road obstructions and vehicle crashes were
among the main reported incidents over the 24-hour period, with 195 road obstruction and 121 vehicle accidents. Additional dispatched incidents included 55 defective traffic lights, 50 outdoor electrical fire, 35 disabled vehicles, and 13 hazardous road conditions.
Of the more than 2,500 calls into the 911 center, Stiertiz said that noon to 6 p.m. on Wednesday were the busiest, with 1,220 calls. In 2023, the department reported an average of 1,999 calls per 24 hours.
“On Wednesday, we experienced damage and travel issues across Montgomery County due to strong winds and heavy rain,” Stieritz said Thursday. “When forecasts call for a storm like this, we encourage our residents to postpone any nonessential travel. Staying off the roads keeps them clear for first responders, road crews, and utility workers.”
Wednesday’s storm
brought high winds to the area, upwards of nearly 50 mph across parts of Montgomery County. According to the National Weather Service’s Mount Holly, New Jersey office, Pottstown experienced wind speeds of 47 mph, King of Prussia and Wings Field in Blue Bell had reports of 40 mph wind speeds. In addition, Schwenksville, as well as New Hanover and Worcester townships had 37 mph wind speeds reported locally.
As for rainfall totals, precipitation varied over a three-day period, ranging from 2.5 inches to nearly 5 inches in some parts.
The area’s highest totals, as of 10:26 a.m. Thursday, were 4.75 inches in New Hanover Township, 4.29 inches in Collegeville, 3.92 inches in Gilbertsville, and 3.78 inches in Pennsburg, according to figures from the National Weather Service.
In Lansdale, Wednesday’s weather was discussed
during council and committee meetings that night, as staff gave updates on a power outage in the borough caused by downed utility poles on Spring Avenue. According to the borough’s electric department, power outages started around 1 p.m. after a transformer was struck by lightning and lasted in some areas until 9 p.m., while police helped steer traffic through intersections where signal lights were down, and borough hall operated on generator power for the night’s public meetings.
“Shoutout for the handling of today’s storms, to not only the Electric department, but to all borough departments,” including police, fire, public works, administration and parks and recreation, said councilman Andrew Carroll.