Trees Strike Middletown Homes After Tornado Warning In Monmouth

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — A quick-moving storm damaged trees and homes in Monmouth County on Wednesday after a tornado warning was issued in the area.

Extremely high winds and what one meteorologist speculated may have even been a tornado caused incredible damage in Lincroft Wednesday morning, very close to the Brookdale College campus. The National Weather Service said it was investigating the event, doing what they call a "storm survey," where they try to gather as much photo evidence as possible.

While an official tornado confirmation has not been made, the winds pushed trees into three separate homes off Phalanx Road, even briefly trapping people in their homes, according to Middletown volunteer firefighters who responded. Nobody was injured.

"Trees were tossed in people's swimming pools, fences torn up. It looks like a war zone," said a Lincroft resident. "This was crazy."

A seventy-foot-tall tree fell into a house on Greengrove Court, which the homeowners had just moved into only days earlier, said Middletown firefighters. Nearby, residents were briefly trapped in their home on Hickory Lane by a downed tree and live electric wires.

Even Gov. Phil Murphy speculated that it was a tornado that hit the area.

"I got a picture from a dear friend that appears to be a tornado or a funnel cloud in Deal," said Murphy at his daily press conference, adding that it's not verified yet.

The National Weather Service said in a Tweet that they, too, saw that photo, but "we too have doubts and have not been able to authenticate it. However, we are looking into reports of damage in the Middletown/Lincroft/Tinton Falls area."

That area of Monmouth County — Middletown, Long Branch, Tinton Falls and Eatontown — was under a tornado warning until 10:30 a.m., according to the National Weather Service.

As trees were flung onto overhead lines, Lincroft residents also lost power — just one week after the devastation of Tropical Storm Isaias.

"It was the quite the wind event. Whether it was a tornado, I am sure the National Weather Service will make that call when they get here," said Middletown Fire Dept. spokesman Dennis Fowler. "With the damage that's been done here, I don't see how they could not be here. This will be talked about for some time to come."

Fowler said the fire department started getting 911 calls at 10:26 a.m. to Hickory Lane and Greengrove Court, a neighborhood right off Phalanx Road.

"We were called to Greengrove Court for a tree that fell into a house and Hickory Lane had several trees down around the house and one into the house. There was a second home with tree into it on Hickory, " said Fowler. "No injuries, and that is a blessing."

Provided by a Middletown resident, here is video from the damage near Hickory Lane Wednesday, Aug. 19:

There are also many trees down and "significant tree damage for a mile past here," said Fowler.

Click here to get Patch email notifications on this or other local news articles or get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our app. Download here. Follow Middletown Patch on Facebook. Have a news tip? Email the Middletown Patch reporter, Carly.baldwin@patch.com