WILTON MANORS, Fla. (WSVN) — Stormy weather caused by the remnants of what was Tropical Storm Dorian resulted in heavy rains and strong winds that brought down a large tree in a South Florida neighborhood, blocking a road and taking out electricity in hundreds of homes, Friday night.
The tree that came crashing down on Northwest 24th Street and Powerline Road in Wilton Manors was located in a median and toppled across all three traffic lanes.
Cleanup crews worked rapidly to clear the road using a bulldozer and chain saws to cut off branches.
National Weather Service officials said winds in the era reached upwards of 45 miles per hour. Witnesses said the strong gusts brought down tree branches and power lines; they also sent outdoor furniture flying.
Florida Power and Light crews worked tirelessly to restore power to Wilton Manors residents. FPL officials said 829 Broward County customers and 324 Miami-Dade customers lost power.
Area residents said the heavy rains came through quickly and unexpectedly. "All of a sudden, it just got really dark," said resident John Carlucci. "The clouds moved and all of a sudden rain and wind hit, and you could hardly see across the street. It was really knocking things down and blowing pretty wild."
Resident Bob Zuzak described how his home lost power. "The TV and the lights were flickering, and the wind was coming from the south, and then it came from the west, and you couldn't even see across the street," he said.
FPL crews had removed most of the tree debris by 10:30 p.m.
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