The call came at 2 a.m. But Nash Maple was fast asleep.
“I didn’t see it [the voicemail] until 6 in the morning when we woke up,” Maple said.
That’s how Maple, who was on a trip near Jackson, Mississippi, with his girlfriend, learned a tree fell on the house they rented in Birmingham’s Glen Iris neighborhood. It’s one instance of the scattered damage caused by Hurricane Isaias, which made landfall in the Florida Panhandle as a Category 2 hurricane Friday evening before bringing tropical-storm-force winds and heavy rain to Central Alabama overnight into Saturday.
Maple and his girlfriend rushed back to Birmingham. Neighbors had sent them pictures of the home, but it was still a shock to take in firsthand.
“I mean, it’s a giant tree,” Maple said. “All I can say is thank God we weren’t inside the house.”
Four deaths blamed on Isaias
At least four people died in the storm, including one in Birmingham. The city’s Fire and Rescue Service Chief Cory Moon told the Associated Press the department responded to a call about people trapped inside a structure in northeast Birmingham. A tree had fallen on the house and Moon said one person was pulled out, treated and released on the scene. The second person was pronounced dead.
“Obviously, it’s a tragic incident,” Moon said. “Even one incident of this nature is tragic for the community. Our hearts go out to their families.”
A second death in Alabama occurred in Barbour County. Josh Johnson of the Alabama Emergency Management Agency attributed that fatality to a motor vehicle accident involving a downed tree.
Two other deaths were confirmed in Escambia County, Florida. Sheriff Chip Simmons said a woman died after a tree fell on her home. A man was found dead at home, killed by carbon monoxide fumes from a generator running in his garage.
Isaias brought strong winds to Central Alabama. The Birmingham Airport recorded a wind gust of 49 mph early Saturday morning, according to the National Weather Service. The weather service reported the Birmingham area had received 2 to 3 inches of rain from the storm as of 7 a.m. Saturday.
About 103,000 customers statewide were without power Saturday evening, down from more than 325,000 earlier in the day, based on data from PowerOutage.com.
The Birmingham Department of Public Works received reports of 24 downed trees blocking roadways. Officials said they expected all those roads to be clear by the end of Saturday.
Assessing the damage
Maple and his girlfriend ventured inside the damaged home where part of the roof had caved in from the weight of the tree. He said the ceiling is gone in one portion of the house. The ceiling fan rested a few feet above their bed.
“The living room, when my parents got here this morning, was still intact,” Maple said. “And then when we walked in, it was completely open. It’s pretty bad.”
They spent Saturday sifting through their belongings.
“We just grabbed everything that we could – clothes, furniture, everything like that,” Maple said. “It’s been a little chaotic.”
Maple’s neighbor Carrie Sweet, who owned the tree that fell, spent time helping clear items from the house.
“I’m washing all of their clothes that are covered in insulation and fiberglass,” Sweet said. “Just trying to help as much as I can. That’s the least I can do.”
For now, Maple and his girlfriend are moving their stuff into a storage unit while they figure out where they will live. He complimented his neighbors and friends who helped them out. He said he felt in good spirits and was still smiling.
“You know, we weren’t here,” he said. “Super thankful for that.”
