Huge tree crashes down on Christmas Eve, narrowly misses family home

DETROIT (WJBK) - Before the post-Christmas ice storm knocked power out to thousands in Metro Detroit, a Detroit woman had a problem of her own: a massive tree came down in front of her front door.

Shanderla Brown said she thought the problem was coming. She said she could hear the tree cracking in the summer and called the city to take care of it. On Christmas Eve, as she and her family sat inside and wrapped the last of their Christmas gifts, the huge tree gave out and narrowly missed the roof of her home. At first, she thought it was gunfire.

"I got two little babies in the house and it busted my front windows out," she said.

The tree, on Tracey Street on the City's west side, came down Christmas Eve around 10 p.m.

"I went over and asked the neighbors if they were okay and the tree had almost fallen through their house," neighbor John Martin said.

Shanderla has lived at this house since 2009. She says she's complained to the city, because this summer, she heard the tree cracking. She was worried then that the tree would fall and complained. When it actually fell, she really made her voice heard.

"I just want them to come and get it off my property. My kids can't even come out side and play," she said.

huge tree, burden for anyone to remove it. because the city is on property between street and sidewalk, it's a city tree. the city has to remove it.

But even better news. After a call from Fox2, literally within hours, this tree is being removed, and Shanderla is very happy. But maybe this neighborhood will see the City again.

"A lot of these trees are old so they need to come tear them down before this happens again somewhere else," Martin said.

The city said they take all fallen trees seriously and ask residents to use the app Improve Detroit to report any downed trees or call the Ombudsman at 313-224-6000.