Tree crushes cars, drivers safe
The drivers of two cars travelling on River Rd in Hamilton on Monday morning were shaken after a large tree fell, crushing their vehicles.
The incident occurred about 8.10am outside Waikato Diocesan School for Girls.
Part of the road was closed after the tree also toppled power lines.
Keith Bennett’s car was one of the two crushed. Bennett told the Herald he first thought the sound of the tree falling was thunder.
“I heard what I thought was thunder but in fact it was the tree giving way and coming down on top of these cars,” he said.
“The roof of the car started collapsing down and the window screen popped, I was trapped in the vehicle, I couldn’t get out.”
Bennett said the ordeal was terrifying, but a member of the public pulled branches off his car and got a door open to get him out.
Riaan Botha was on his way to work when the tree also fell on to his car.
He said the incident left him feeling shocked.
“I was just bracing myself and hoping that it doesn’t break the windshield and break the roof in, and I was hoping that it didn’t come down too far but unfortunately that did happen,” said Botha.
A St John spokesperson reported yesterday that there were no injuries and no one was taken to hospital.