Narrow escape as pine tree falls on car

A craving for chocolate on a cold winter’s afternoon is the reason why a Noordhoek woman was out on the road when a large pine tree fell on her car on Sunday afternoon.

Juanita Geraghty said she and her dog, Simon, were on their way to the Noordhoek Farm Village when the incident happened.

She was driving along Avondrust Circle.

Ms Geraghty is a photographer and said she is usually very aware of her surroundings.

“I was driving slowly along the road when a large branch about two metres long fell to the ground. My immediate thought was that I hope there aren't any more and so I braked,” she said.

As she hit the brakes, a pine tree fell on the roof of her Nissan Micra, slid down the windscreen shattering it, and then landed on the bonnet of her car.

She said instead of a loud bang, it sounded more like a “soft deep crunch”.

“All I could think of was Simon. He was on the back seat wide-eyed and not so bushy-tailed, but he was okay,” she said.

She grabbed him and exited the car on the passenger side as branches near to the top of the tree prevented her from opening her door.

After the incident, Ms Geraghty took to Facebook to thank “all the wonderful folk” that stepped up to help her and thanked the staff of Jakes on the Common for their help and for satisfying her chocolate craving with a chocolate brownie.

“It wasn’t easy in the pouring rain, but it didn’t stop the helping hands,” she said.

She said her car is a write-off but it is insured.

“I've had her for 15 years and have not had a day’s problems with her,” she said.

Ms Geraghty said the council had since cut the tree into smaller chunks and removed it.

She has asked the council if she can have the pieces.

City’s Fire and Rescue Service spokesman Jermaine Carelse said an emergency call was received at approximately 4.25 pm.

Upon arrival, he said, the vehicle was removed from the scene, but the tree was still obstructing the road and the crew from Kommetjie fire station used a chainsaw to cut the tree and the roadway was cleared just after 6pm.