Trees vs houses

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By Diane Hettrick

Photos by Steven H. Robinson

When I first saw this house coming down, I thought it was something to do with the coming Sound Transit Station because it is on 5th NE next to I-5 in the heart of the 185th rezone. But no, it was not.

A chance conversation provided me with the answer, which actually was far more dramatic and elemental than the inexorable march of population growth.

Remember those wind storms and downed trees we experienced mid-November?

This house had a big tree fall on it.

According to a neighbor, the tree didn't just land on the roof. It sliced all the way through the house to the foundation. Owners had little choice but to tear the whole thing down.

We're checking, but so far there are no reports of injuries or anyone inside the house at the time.

The site is now just dirt - a bare, vacant lot, with tarps set up to protect the houses near it on lower ground.