Firefighters free driver after tree crushes roof of SUV

Published 1:30 am Thursday, August 30, 2018

MILL CREEK — A woman pinned inside an SUV was rescued Wednesday night after a 60-foot section of tree fell on top of her vehicle.

The incident southeast of Mill Creek was reported around 7:45 p.m. The location was at 51st Avenue SE and 175th Street SE. A stretch of 51st was closed for more than an hour as crews cleared the tree, said Heather Chadwick, a spokeswoman for Snohomish County Fire District 7.

The tree crushed the roof of the SUV. A passenger was able to get out, but the driver — a woman in her 20s — was trapped.

A ladder truck crew was able to remove the tree while medics started caring for the patient.

“They were able to lift the tree off of the car using multiple high-lift jacks,” Chadwick said.

The driver was taken to Providence Regional Medical Center Everett. Her injuries were not considered life-threatening.

The car was parked on the side of the road, and the wind was lightly blowing when the tree broke, Chadwick said.