CHADDS FORD—Strong winds took down hundreds of trees, while closing roads and damaging 44 homes and one business in Delaware County, during Monday evening’s thunderstorm.

The National Weather Service estimated that winds reached 85 to 95 mph, while bringing down powerlines and utility poles, causing electrical fires and damaging residential structures and businesses.

Most trees fell toward the northeast and the NWS determined that the damage was due to straight line wind gusts, with no tornadic rotation. During a tornado, trees fall in all directions.

Two homes were destroyed by fallen trees. At 110 Kelly Drive, in Chadds Ford, a home was split in half and at 3 Forest Hills Drive in Thornbury, Delaware County, a home was moved off its foundation.

Seventy trees fell on, and blocked Smithbridge Road. Forty trees were removed from Heyburn Road. Emergency responders needed to walk along closed roads rather than ride to assist residents.

Two first responders experienced eye injuries when a tree crashed through the windshield of a fire truck they were operating in Upper Chichester Township. They received care at a local hospital and were then released.

Five hundred calls for service were placed to the county’s 911 center during or immediately following the storm.

Robert Tucker talked with reporters from the porch of his home on Kelly Drive where he said 26 trees fell in a matter of minutes. He suffered minor damage to the roof of his home and everyone, including the family’s four dogs, weathered the storm.

“You never know when it’s going to happen to you—it happened so fast,” Tucker said. “Mother Nature was cleaning up her woods.”

Tucker talked about seeing no bugs, and a calm prior to the storm. When the winds picked up, he then could “see everything flying.”

Tucker said that losing trees is part of living on a wooded lot.

He said the storm brought neighbors together.

Chair of the Delaware County Council Monica Taylor was thankful.

“We responded to a crisis,” she said. “Neighbors help neighbors.

“This is how Delaware County responds.”

Steve Shultz is an emergency management specialist.

“It’s nice to see the neighbors come out and support each other,” Schultz said.

Ed Kline is an assistant emergency management coordinator and said the damage from the micro-burst looks like a “war zone.”

He said that a preliminary investigation shows that all but one resident has insurance. He also said that removing downed trees isn’t typically paid for with insurance.

Tucker said that he had paid nearly $30,000 to clear downed trees and a neighbor had spent more than $50,000.

Kline suggests that anyone impacted to take plenty of photos and to contact their insurance company.