Aug 6, 2008 6:56 pm US/Eastern
Morning 'Microburst' Makes Mess Of Bergen County
Uprooted Trees & Tangled Power Lines After Waves Of Heavy Rains & Powerful Winds
BERGEN COUNTY, N.J. (CBS) ―
A sudden and violent storm tore up a New Jersey neighborhood Wednesday.
The National Weather Service says a rare "microburst" storm hit Bergen County, bringing down power lines and dropping trees onto homes, cars, and streets.
Stunned residents of Harrington Park now have a long cleanup ahead.
"We heard this noise, it almost sounded like a train," Sheri Meltin said. "Then we see these trees ripping out of the ground."
One tree went right through Denise Karrenberg's attic.
"I screamed, grabbed my children, and ran into the crawl space," Karrenberg said.
Next door, at least 10 trees came crashing down into Barbara Zito's backyard and right on top of her house.
"You heard trees, when they were hitting the floor," Zito said. "It shook my house one after another."
The damage across town is extensive. Trees came down on two cars, and ironically both cars are Ford Mustangs.
"I heard a crash, and my brand new Mustang is not new anymore," Guy Velella said.
Power company officials say they have to completely reconstruct the electric system in town.
"We have 10 poles that have to be replaced, transformers, many feet of wire," Tom Brizzolara, of Orange and Rockland Utilities, said.
All over town, neighbors are now cleaning up. Thankfully, despite the destruction, no one was hurt.
County crews say they are working diligently to clean up the mess left in the storm's wake.
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