Local

Neighbor's tree crashes through fence onto Apopka home

APOPKA, Fla. — An Apopka family got a rude awakening Thursday night when a tree crashed down on their home.

Homeowner Barbara Evans said she has lived at the home on Ocean Avenue for 28 years, but lately, she's had a fear about the oak tree falling on her house.

Evans said that because of falling branches over the years she had moved out of the bedroom where the big branch came crashing down. That branch went through the roof of the house; the rest of the tree fell across a fence in the back yard.

"I could just feel the ground, it was almost shaking," said Evans. "My main concern was if it did come through the rafters could come through and I was concerned for safety."

The tree was in the yard of a neighboring house. Evans said she had asked the man who owned the house to cut the tree down but he refused. She said lawyers told her that she could not force him to get rid of the tree.

Evans said the man's home is now in foreclosure.

"I am very upset right now. It is going to cost some money to fix, but it is not as bad as it could have been," said Evans.

Evans said she is going to work with her insurance company to clean up the mess.