'She Was Very Fortunate,' Tree Slams Into Bedroom Minutes After Woman Gets Up

GLEN COVE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Brutal winds caused damage and created a commuter mess for the ride home.

The powerful winds ripped the roof off of a Queens gas station sending customers scrambling.

In Woodhaven, a tree nearly snapped in half before tumbling to the ground, and in the Bronx a woman escaped unharmed after a large branch slammed through her windshield.

As CBS2's Carolyn Gusoff reported, in Glen Cove the howling wind was followed by another, more frightening sound.

"It sounded like a bomb went off," Vinny Gismondi said.

Neighbors said the crash shook them awake at around 8:30 a.m.

A giant 60 ft high beech tree smashed down onto a home on Buckeye Road, the living room and master bedroom were flattened on impact. It landed on the mattress where Denis Pascuma had just gotten up.

"She woke up, she went to take a shower, and a tree fell on the bed while she was in the shower. So she was very fortunate," the victim's brother-in-law Tom Olsen said.

Pascuma had to flee in her pajamas after the crash broke a gas line and endangered the structure of the house. Neighbors said the majestic trees that make Long Island's North Shore so picturesque also make the windy weather so harrowing.

"With these kind of winds, you expect weak trees to come down, but nothing like this," Peter Musso said.

More than 55 mph winds hammered the island and sent trees across roadways, causing thousands of power outages.

"It's real bad. I haven't experienced this in a long time," one resident said.

PSEG kept up with scattered outages from downed wires while workers sealed up the house. It will remain off limits until the building inspector can determine if it is possible to save.

Wind gusts of more than 60 mph were expected until early Monday evening.