Alabama woman dies when tree falls into apartment complex during thunderstorm – KIRO 7 News Seattle

According to the Mountain Brook Fire Department, the building sustained “severe damage resulting in one fatality.” The tree fell as strong thunderstorms moved through central Alabama, damaging homes and leaving residents without power, WIAT-TV reported.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene, AL.com reported. The Jefferson County coroner’s office removed her body from the residence around 10 a.m. CDT, the news agency said.

“It’s just surreal that this happened,” Mountain Brook Battalion Chief Justin Baker told WBRC-TV. “It happened so fast. Just one of those things – ‘This will never happen to me’ – and everyone has to be weather conscious, we are so prone to tornadoes and not think that a normal thunderstorm can cause this kind of damage.”

“Just because it was a tornado cell that passed through, we still recommend that people follow the weather radio. Please pay attention to the thunderstorms. That way they can still get to their place of safety.”

Baker said the Homewood Fire Department had to help secure the building for the search and assist in rescue efforts, WIAT reported.

According to AL.com, at least one other residential complex was damaged, but there were no reports of additional injuries.

Mountain Brook is located about six miles east of downtown Birmingham.