'It was such a terrible thing': North Plainfield struggles to recover after deadly storm
More than 24 hours after the storm, block after block in the borough had the same sights: uprooted trees, downed power lines, crushed cars and power crews hard at work.
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Holiday weekend plans in North Plainfield were disrupted as cleanup from Thursday’s storm continued.
More than 24 hours after the storm, block after block in the borough had the same sights: uprooted trees, downed power lines, crushed cars and power crews hard at work. It’s the result of a storm that, according to the National Weather Service, had wind speeds reach 80 miles per hour.
“It's a blessing that we are alive,” said resident Reynaldo Lopez. Trees on both his and his neighbor’s property fell Thursday night.
“I was actually watching TV when I heard all the noise,” Lopez said.
“The rain was literally sideways,” said resident Tammy Traylor. “The power was on, power was off, the internet was on, internet's off. And then we heard a big thud.”
“A big boom,” Lopez said. “And then, I see the top of the house. I didn't know what to do. I was just amazed. I thought the world was going to end.”
Over on West End Avenue, the neighborhood was rocked by a tree that crashed right through a woman’s home.
“All the houses here came running out,” Traylor said. “We saw the tree going down through the bedroom, through the living room, through the other bedroom downstairs. She's got quite a mess there. She's OK, thank God.”
Thursday night, a 44-year-old Middlesex woman died when a tree fell on her car on Greenbrook Road. Police said she had pulled over during the storm.
“My heart goes out to the family who lost the young lady on Greenbrook Road,” Traylor said. “I saw a little bit of [her car being towed away], and I'm like, ‘Oh, God.’ It was just such a terrible feeling to see that go by.”
“She stopped to let it pass,” Lopez said. “She did the right thing, but she got killed.”
The North Plainfield community day festival and fireworks that were scheduled for Saturday have now been postponed.
Those without power will be able to pick up water Saturday afternoon from the Community Center.
