LIVONIA, Mich. – A massive tree fell through the roof of a Livonia home Wednesday afternoon during a tornado, pinning a 2-year-old boy and his mother.
At around 3:37 p.m. on June 5, a tornado uprooted a massive hardwood tree in front of a Livonia home near Schoolcraft Road and I-275. The tree fell through the roof and into a bedroom at the back of the home, where a mother and her 2-year-old son were lying in bed.
Authorities said the tree pinned the boy and the mother, ultimately killing the boy.
First responders had a significant task ahead of them, officials said, having to remove pieces of fallen roof in order to even access the tree and those trapped under it. There were about a dozen chainsaws and two dozen firefighters working to remove parts of the tree so they could lift it off the woman and the boy.
The whole process took about an hour, Livonia fire Chief Robert Johnson said in a press conference Wednesday.
The mother, whose identity was not released, was awake during most of the extrication process, Johnson said. She was receiving aid from medical personnel while trapped under the tree.
Once the tree was removed, the mother was taken to the hospital, where she was listed in critical condition. The 2-year-old boy was pronounced dead at the scene.
A 2-week-old child was in a crib in a different room with the child’s grandmother, officials said. Neither of them were hurt in the incident, but were still taken to the hospital for evaluation.
It does not appear that anyone else was in the home when the tree crashed into it.
A fundraiser has been set up to help the family. You can donate here.
The storms and tornado caused many trees to topple in the area on Wednesday. Authorities said their priority was to clear the roads and to help get power restored as quickly as possible.
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Watch Chief Johnson’s full press conference below.