Falling Tree Branch Traps Pedestrians, Shatters Glass On Tesla With Child Inside, Teaneck Police Say

TEANECK, NJ — A large oak tree branch fell in Teaneck Thursday morning, injuring four and shattering the glass of a passing Tesla with a child inside, police said.

The branch fell around 8 a.m. near Sussex and Churchill roads, said Deputy Chief Seth Kriegel.

Two Bergenfield women, ages 44 and 45, were walking on the sidewalk, when the falling branch trapped them until rescue workers could free them, Kriegel said. They were taken to Hackensack Medical Center to be treated for serious but non-life-threatening injuries, he said.

A third woman, 50, of Ridgefield Park, was struck by the branch while walking on the opposite side of Sussex Road but was not trapped. She was taken to Englewood Hospital to be treated for minor injuries.

The tree also struck the roof of a Tesla occupied by a 36-year-old Bergenfield man and his 4-year-old daughter. The man suffered from minor cuts from the broken glass, and his daughter was unharmed. He declined medical attention, police said.

The falling branch also brought down power lines, police said.

Teamwork

An officer flagged down a passing Cousin’s Tree Service truck. One of the company’s employees provided two chainsaws and assisted an officer in cutting the branch to expedite rescue efforts, police said.

Five officers worked together to lift portions of the branch and free the two trapped women, police said.

The branch had fallen from a large oak tree located in the rear yard of 407 Winthrop Road.

Police said Sussex Road will close Thursday afternoon between Winthrop Road and Churchill Road while a private tree company removes the remainder of the tree.

On Wednesday night, powerful thunderstorms had rolled through northern New Jersey, causing flooding and other impacts.

Last month, three people were killed by falling trees during heavy storms in North Jersey. READ MORE: 3 Killed By Falling Trees As Storms Pummel NJ