A city contractor was called on to saw up a fallen branch of one of Elm Street's distinctive trees, blown into power lines by a severe windstorm early Tuesday morning, before coming to rest on the roof of a historic cottage. Christy Fox photo

Narrow escape for 100-year-old White Rock home

Windstorm drives part of tree onto power lines, threatening historic Elm Street cottage

A historic White Rock cottage on Elm Street had a narrow escape May 18 when a violent early morning windstorm blew part of one of the distinctive elms into power lines.

City communications manager Donna Kell said both White Rock Fire Rescue and White Rock RCMP responded to a call at around 3 a.m. Tuesday (May 18) reporting live wires at the site, 1156 Elm St.

As later determined by a city operations team, a large section of one tree – known as a scaffold branch – had fallen into a power pole and then landed partially on the roof of the house, Kell said.

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White Rock Fire Rescue stayed at the scene until a BC Hydro crew came out to make sure there was no longer any potential danger from the wires, she added.

The city arranged for a contractor to remove the branches and had the area cleared of debris by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Kell said.

The house is one of three 100-year-old-plus homes, typifying early White Rock settlement, that still survive on the street, just off Marine Drive.


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A city contractor was called on to saw up a fallen branch of one of Elm Street's distinctive trees, blown into power lines by a severe windstorm early Tuesday morning, before coming to rest on the roof of a historic cottage. Christy Fox photo

A city contractor was called on to saw up a fallen branch of one of Elm Street’s distinctive trees, blown into power lines by a severe windstorm early Tuesday morning, before coming to rest on the roof of a historic cottage. Christy Fox photo

A city contractor was called on to saw up a fallen branch of one of Elm Street’s distinctive trees, blown into power lines by a severe windstorm early Tuesday morning, before coming to rest on the roof of a historic cottage. Christy Fox photo