At least three individuals lost their lives due to fallen trees during a powerful storm that swept through central New Jersey on Thursday.
A 25-year-old man and a 79-year-old man were driving in Plainfield when their vehicle was crushed by falling trees and power lines between 6 and 7 PM, according to officials.
In North Plainfield, the driver managed to reach Greenbrook Road, but tragically, a large tree then fell on his car, resulting in his death, as noted by the mayor.
“I saw the trees on the car and then noticed the sidewalk was gone,” shared a witness, Michelle Smith. “It was confusing, and many people were trying to see inside the car. The headlights were still on, and eventually, we realized the severity of the storm and the size of the tree.”
The names of the victims have not yet been released.
Both cities were under a state of emergency as violent storms caused havoc across the area.
The National Weather Service reported over 20 incidents of storms in central New Jersey, with wind gusts reaching between 60 and 65 mph.
By Friday morning, around 20,000 homes were without power, with a significant number of outages reported in Middlesex County.
The North Plainfield Fire Department reported that several houses suffered “serious structural damage” from the storm.
The state of emergency in Plainfield and North Plainfield continued into Friday due to widespread destruction, prompting North Plainfield to cancel all July 4th activities.
“This devastating storm has left our city with deep scars and extensive damage, affecting thousands,” the city stated. “Given this tragedy, we can’t responsibly proceed with the parade, concert, or fireworks on July 4th.”
“It’s not a time for celebration. Now we need to focus all our energy on recovery.”
