Wood Dale homeowners surprised by tree falling onto roof

It sounded like a bomb.

That’s how Wood Dale resident Aldona Gallo described the sound of a tree falling on her neighbor’s house and garage Saturday in the 100 block of North Cedar Street.

The house and garage belong to Dan and Kim Prochaska, who weren’t home when their neighbors in the 200 block of Montrose Avenue cut down one of three trees after being ordered to so by Wood Dale officials, Alderman Joe Kolz said.

Gallo was in her kitchen about 20 feet away from where the tree fell onto the Prochaskas’ home and garage.

Power at Gallo’s house was out for about a half-hour, even though the tree did not sever power lines, Dan Prochaska said. ComEd inspected the lines and restored the power. The Prochaskas’ home lost power only for a few minutes.

“All the tension is down,” Prochaska said. “We’re allowed to inhabit the house. That’s certainly a better feeling.”

Neighbors said the people cutting the trees were not professionals. Owners of the home on Montrose declined to comment, but Prochaska said the owners promised to have a professional tree service remove the trunk and branches by Monday.

Meanwhile, the Prochaskas’ house has a branch sticking through the roof, ceiling and into the stairway that leads to the basement. “It’s a small one,” Prochaska said. “But it’s enough to show the magnitude of the project if you’re going to tackle something like this yourself.”