Falling Tree Crushes Van, Killing 2

Woman, Girl Were Among 8 in Vehicle

A woman and a girl were killed in Chevy Chase last night when part of a huge tree crushed their minivan during a powerful wind and rain storm, authorities and witnesses said.

Six other children were in the vehicle when a section of a tree fell about 7:20 p.m. at Connecticut Avenue and East West Highway, said Oscar Garcia of the Montgomery County fire and rescue service.

"It was just horrible," said Thomas Walsh, describing what he saw inside the van when he went to aid the trapped occupants.

All six of the injured children were taken to Children's Hospital, Garcia said.

One appeared to be severely injured, but injuries to the other five did not appear to be life-threatening, he said. The children's ages ranged from 9 months to about 10 years, Garcia said.

"It was a very, very, very terrific storm," said Michael Krench, who lives nearby. The sky "got black, and the wind seemed to be almost hurricane force."

Trees "were bending over almost halfway," Krench said. The storm "came and went very quickly," he said, "but while it was here it was torrential." Another neighbor described an "enormous gust" that was followed by driving rain.

Walsh said he had stopped at the intersection in his truck when suddenly "it got real, real bad."

"Everything was swirling," he said, and he "heard a big crash." Then, screams and a "hand coming out the window" of the van.

The tree "crushed the top of the van," Garcia said, and neighbors said it required vigorous efforts by rescue workers to cut through a thicket of branches and finally remove the occupants.

The fury of the storm was localized; for example, almost an inch of rain fell in Camp Springs between 8 and 9 p.m., and other parts of the area got almost none all day.