Teaneck, NJ – A massive tree branch crashed down onto a sidewalk and street early Thursday morning, injuring three women and damaging a vehicle near the intersection of Sussex Road and Churchill Road.
At approximately 8:03 a.m., emergency calls flooded the Teaneck Police Department after the branch from a large oak tree collapsed, pinning two pedestrians beneath it and striking a Tesla carrying a Bergenfield man and his young daughter. The incident triggered a major emergency response involving multiple local agencies and medical personnel.
Officers arriving at the scene found two Bergenfield women, aged 44 and 45, trapped beneath the heavy branch while walking on the sidewalk. A third woman, 50, from Ridgefield Park, was hit while walking on the opposite side of Sussex Road but was not trapped.
The tree also struck the roof of a Tesla traveling southbound on Sussex Road. Inside were a 36-year-old Bergenfield man and his 4-year-old daughter. The child was unharmed, and the father suffered minor cuts from shattered glass but declined medical treatment.
Power lines were also brought down, affecting a nearby residence. As officers coordinated the rescue, one flagged down a passing Cousin’s Tree Service truck. A worker provided chainsaws and helped police cut through the fallen branch, freeing the two trapped women.
Five officers lifted sections of the tree during the rescue. The two women were transported to Hackensack University Medical Center with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The third victim was taken to Englewood Hospital for minor treatment.
Officials say the branch came from a tree located in the rear yard of 407 Winthrop Road. The Teaneck Department of Public Works and utility crews from PSE&G responded to clear the road and restore power. Sussex Road remains closed between Winthrop and Churchill as cleanup continues.
