Couple in their 20s killed when tree falls on home

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Gwinnett County police say two people are dead after a tree fell onto a house Thursday morning.

Channel 2′s Tony Thomas learned it happened on Garner Street in Buford. Firefighters said it took several hours to reach the victims, who have only been identified as a couple in their 20s.

The man’s bother discovered the scene just after noon. The tree fell directly over the bed that the couple was sleeping in, pinning them.

Thomas talked to a neighbor, Ahban Hanken, who said talked to the victim’s brother.

“He was all distraught, freaking out,” Hanken said. “And he asked me to call 911.”

It’s unclear exactly when the tree fell, but Hanken believes it was just before 4 a.m. The bodies weren’t discovered until noon.

Hanken said he didn’t know his neighbors well, but he was still shaken.

“You never know...” Hanken said. “A whole big tree blowing over.”

On Thursday afternoon, fire crews were working to retrieve the bodies as the victims' loved ones looked on.

The tree had stood for decades in the front yard of the small house.

“The tree appears to have a split trunk,” fire Capt. Tommy Rutledge said. “One side of that truck is directly over that bed and pinning the deceased.”

The couple has not been identified pending notification of extended family.

In total, three deaths have now been caused by the storm in north Georgia.

[Tropical Storm Zeta brings damaging wind gusts, massive power outages to Georgia]

A Cherokee County man was killed Thursday morning when a tree fell on his mobile home. He has been identified as Franklyn Whyte, 22.

Trees came down all across north Georgia because of the strong wind and heavy rain early this morning.

Crews are still working to clean up the mess and restore power.

At one point, more than 1 million people were without power Thursday morning.

Cox Media Group