Saugus Home Red-Tagged After Large Pine Tree Topples Over

SAUGUS (CBSLA.com) — A home in Saugus was red-tagged after a large pine tree toppled over on Monday.

Brandi Hurst and her husband told CBS2's Cristy Fajardo that a tenant, sitting outside on a patio chair, heard what she thought was the sound of chipmunks.

Another tenant, however, quickly realized that sound was actually a tree giving way.

"[She] said, 'You better hurry up and get in the house because I think it's something else.' And before you know it, the tree came down," Hurst said.

The tenant walked away with a few scrapes, but the home was not so lucky.

The city deemed the house on Alaminos Drive dangerous to enter. Inspectors also red-tagged a neighbor's home as a precautionary measure.

Hurst, who recently inherited the home from her father, believes a combination of wind and bug damage toppled the tree.

"It's gonna be a process to get the tree out…do it safely for the neighbors," she said.

Hurst said it could be weeks before anyone is allowed back inside the residence, but was just happy that no one was hurt.

"The house can be replaced, but her life can't," she said.