PENSACOLA, Fla. — Five days after Hurricane Sally tore through the region, residents across Northwest Florida were still clearing fallen trees from streets, cars and homes.
On E Street, James Murphy said part of his living room caved in after a tree came down while he was watching television. He described the power cutting out and blue lights flashing outside the windows before he jumped up and ran.
“I was just inches away,” Murphy said. “I was sitting in the living room when that tree fell.” The rest of his home was fine and his car had only minor damage.
Across town in the historic North Hill neighborhood on Reus Street, Sharon Singleton recalled winds so strong she could not close her front door after opening it, and hearing wood rubbing against wood as the roof strained.
A tree was down in her backyard and water had leaked through her roof before she could get a tarp up. She said the howling winds were unforgettable.