Crews Work to Remove Tree from Roof of Royal Oak House

Crews began working about 8 a.m. Monday to remove a large oak tree from the roof of a home in the 900 block of North Alexander in Royal Oak.

The work has not been without a few hiccups. The top of the home’s chimney was knocked off in the process, breaking a gas line. Also, a live 220 power line was knocked to the ground.

A crew using a crane from Allingham crane rental company of Southfield and MLS tree service are working together to remove the oak tree, which fell on the home early Saturday morning.

The tree service is cutting the tree into sections so the crane can lift the pieces away from the house.

The  was called to the home at 5 a.m. Saturday when a tree crashed through the roof of the house, trapping a young couple on the second floor of the home.

Caitlin Cummings, 24, was with her boyfriend, Andrew Dennison, 23, when they heard a crash around 4 a.m.

"We thought a bookshelf broke," Cummings said.

The couple didn't think too much of it, but an hour later, an oak tree came crashing through the roof.

"We were terrified. We tried to go downstairs, but we saw sparks," Cummings said. The tree had compromised some of the house's electrical wiring.

"We were afraid we would start a fire if we moved anything, so we called 911," she said.

The Fire Department arrived in a matter of minutes and rescued the couple through a window because the stairway was blocked.

No one was injured in the incident, but the house is badly damaged.

Come back to Patch later today for updates.