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Trees fall on firefighter’s home

Family safe after large trees fall on roof of house
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A tree sits on top of Mike Bailey’s boat and a neighbour’s pickup truck.

Tuesday night’s windstorm literally hit home for Salmon Arm firefighter Mike Bailey.

Bailey, the fire departments fire training officer, and other firefighters were working around the clock that night, responding to numerous reports of trees falling on power lines and other storm-related calls.

At around quarter to midnight, Bailey said he received a call from his wife, who told him a tree had fallen on his home. He returned home to find his family safe and uninjured.

The following morning, after a sleepless night, Bailey found not just one, but a cluster of three large trees on his roof. They’d been uprooted in the storm from the adjacent Little Mountain Park trail. Another tree from the park came down on top of his boat and trailer parked on the side of his house, as well as a pickup truck belonging to his neighbour.

Bailey said the trees came down during a second windstorm that occurred late Tuesday night.

“The City (of Salmon Arm staff) was here this morning they looked at some of the dangerous trees that are leaning and could possibly come down,” said Bailey. “They were talking about closing the trail system until they can get a better assessment.”

Despite the grey clouds looming overhead and the potential for additional rain, Bailey could reflect on his family being safe and his home and possessions insured.

“As long as it’s just property damage and nobody is injured, that’s the most important thing,” he said. “The insurance this morning said they were going to try and get here before the rain got here so they’re on their way.”