DETROIT – After an historic wind storm that knocked out power to a record number of residents in Metro Detroit last month, the city of Detroit had plenty of work to do clearing fallen trees.
But what happens when a tree falls on an abandoned house?
Residents on Elmdale Street dealt with the aftermath of the March 8 wind storm for much longer that others.
A giant tree fell on an abandoned house the day after the wind storm, and was still there until recently.
"Soon as I went inside, coat off, I heard it fall," said Patricia Banks, whose grandfather lives next door to the abandoned home. "I come out and there are a whole bunch of limbs on my granddad's car."
Banks is happy nobody was hurt, and that the tree fell on a house with nobody inside. But she and other residents on Elmdale were wondering when the city would remove the tree from the home.
"You're worried about that tree because when kids come home, and it's the school on the next block, we're worried about it completely falling," Harvey Brooks said.
Brooks lives two doors down from the home and said neighbors have called the city without any luck.
"I'd appreciate if they'd come out here and take care of that very soon," Brooks said.
Local 4 called the city and officials said they have no record of anyone reporting the problem. In fact, a city official said he drove by the home last week and reported it himself.
"One of our employees saw this toward the end of the week last week, and with the rain and other weather, this is the earliest time we were able to get to it," Carlos Coronado, associate forestry for Detroit, said.
Since the storm, the city has removed more than 300 fallen trees. The one on Elmdale can be added to the list, as it and another dead tree in front of the Banks house have been taken down.
City officials said they hope residents in the future will use the "Improve Detroit" app for situations like this or simply call the general services department's emergency number.