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Storm sends tree branch into closet

Submitted photo A large tree branch was blown through the roof and into a bedroom closet at the Ryan and Ashley Maher home on 4th Avenue Southeast Saturday night.

SLEEPY EYE – Ryan Maher of Sleepy Eye was outside his house on 4th Avenue S.E. at about 6;40 p.m. Saturday night when a tornado siren and high winds convinced him it was time to get into the basement.

The tornado siren wailed as heavy rain fell and the wind howled.

“My wife Ashley told me she thought something hit the house during the storm,” Maher said. “We didn’t realize what hit the house for a while, then noticed a tree branch about eight inches thick went through the roof of our house and into our bedroom closet.”

Maher said he called Zinniel Tree Service and was told they were out on another call before they could come to his residence.

“Zinniels were here at about 8 p.m. which was good, because more rain was coming. They removed the tree branch from the closet and roof and covered the hole in the roof,” said Maher.

On top of that, the storm disturbed a bee’s nest that Maher thinks may be in the tree.

“I got stung (by bees) a bunch of times (outside),” he said.

Maher wasn’t sure Sunday morning if the tree could be saved or not.

“Maybe we could carve the tree trunk,” he added.

Things could have been worse for the Mahers. Another big tree branch fell, landing inches from their living window.

A second wave of heavy rain and a tornado warning with sirens sounding hit the Sleepy Eye area at about 10:30 p.m. Saturday.

Chain saws were whirring on the south side of Sleepy Eye Sunday morning. A number of large and small tree branches were blown down by the two storms that blew through town.

Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.

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