Oak Tree Falls Onto Duarte Townhomes

DUARTE (CBSLA.com) — Several residents were forced out of their homes early Wednesday after a large oak tree fell onto townhomes.

The downed tree was reported just before 2 a.m. in the 1800 block of Huntington Drive in Duarte, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said.

A portion of the approximately 100-year-old tree fell last week and residents reported it felt like an earthquake.

"Everyone's dead asleep and all the sudden, you hear this big bang . . . and the house lifted," a resident said. "I walk out my balcony and all I can see is the tree."

"A couple days ago . . . one of the largest branches fell . . . and the rest of the tree was standing and we kinda guessed that the weight distribution was completely imbalanced, so tonight the entire tree decided to fall," another tenant said.

Residents said they had called the city to report the unstable tree, but officials said it was on private property and out of their jurisdiction.

No injuries were reported, but five people were temporarily displaced.