Wind fells huge tree

IT was a case of ‘things that go bump in the night’ alarming an Arboretum family on Monday night when a massive tree on their property was blown down by gale force winds.

‘We were all fast asleep just after 11pm when this huge crash woke us,’ said homeowner Ollie Olwagen.

‘My son came running into our bedroom, thinking it had been a gunshot.

‘It didn’t take long for us to discover what had happened.

‘The tree, with a diameter of 1.2metres, had fallen right into the street, smashing part of our front fence with branches also destroying a section of our neighbour’s wall,’ said Ollie.

‘Both our electric fences were also crushed by the tree.

‘Fortunately nobody was injured and my insurance reacted positively so we can begin repairs quickly.’

Ironically, the following night, Richards Bay was battered by a fierce wind from the opposite direction.

Dave Savides Thankful that it was a northeaster and not a southwesterly wind that took down the tree, thereby not toppling it onto the house, Ollie Olwagen sits next to the fallen giant