Stormy Monday downs trees in Chester

By Karen Zuppinger

Chester was hit with several storms on Monday, June 17 that produced hail and gusting winds strong enough to toss lawn furniture and topple trees, damaging roofs and fences.

Charlea Baker stands at the roots of her upended spruce, that came down during storms on Monday, June 17./Photo submitted.

Charlea Baker returned to her River Street home to find an 80-foot-tall, 90-year-old Norway spruce crushing her neighbor’s fence. “I couldn’t believe my eyes when we pulled in,” said Baker.

Baker said that her insurance company said that the storm was “an act of God” and she therefore isn’t financially responsible for the cost of removing the tree from her neighbor’s property or paying to replace the fence. Still the two homeowners are in negotiations about the most equitable way to remedy the situation. They’ve received quotes from several tree removal companies and hope to have most of the damage cleaned up by week’s end.

Baker’s next door neighbors are also dealing with damage to their roof, which had been hit by a willow branch from neighboring yard.

According the Weather Channel, Chester has gotten  almost 2 inches of rain between June 10 and June 17, when wind gusts reached 35 mph. Storms are expected most afternoons in the next week.