GIANT TREE CRASHES DOWN ON CAR

Lorain – Firefighters from Lorain and Sheffield Township worked together for more than an hour to rescue a Lorain woman, Alicia Rivera, after a nearly 100-foot tree fell on her car.

Debbie Carter, who works as a Manager at the Fashion Bug in Sheffield Township, said she received a call from her employees Sunday night telling her about the accident. “Alicia had left work shortly after 5:30pm and first dropped off a friend and then was heading for her home, not too far from here.”

Carter said that while Rivera was driving north on Pearl Ave she was on her cell phone talking to a fellow employee at the Fashion Bug. “My co-Manager was speaking to her on the phone and all of a sudden everything went quiet – then she could hear Alicia crying “Help me, someone help me.” She kept saying that and honking her horn. She was obviously not able to reach her cell at that point.”

The woman that was on the phone with Rivera picked up a different phone, keeping an open line with Rivera, and called 9-1-1 but without knowing where she was there was little the 9-1-1 Operator could do. Another employee jumped in her car and began driving the route from the store to Rivera’s house – she found Rivera’s car buried below a sea of tree branches on Pearl Ave in front of Sacred Heart Church near East 41st Street.

Firefighters and Paramedics had already arrived and were working to free Rivera. The task was daunting with the size of the tree and the position of Rivera inside of the car.

Firefighters used chain saws to remove limbs just to gain access to the car. While Firefighters were working to free Rivera Paramedics continuously monitored Rivera and was able to provide some treatment.

While cutting the limbs and pieces of the car, Officials had requested a large front-end loader to the scene thinking they may use it to remove the tree. Shortly after the front end loader arrived and got into position Firefighters were able to get to Rivera and free her from the vehicle. Bystanders, including Rivera’s Mother and fellow employees, could hear Firefighters say that she was out of the car – Cheers rang out from the crowd of nearly 100 people who had been watching.

Rivera was rushed to an awaiting ambulance then taken to Community Health Partners Emergency Room. Because of the high winds Metro LifeFlight was not flying, instead they sent a ground unit to transport Rivera to MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland. Her condition is unknown at this time.

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