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Downed Trees Cause Headaches In Baltimore

PIKESVILLE, Md. (WJZ) -- Fallen trees are causing headaches across Maryland.

Derek Valcourt has more on the havoc that fallen trees are wreaking in the area.

Across Maryland, there's damage in the millions. Sky Eye Chopper 13 was over flooded homes on the Eastern Shore. Cars and houses were ruined, and entire neighborhoods under water.

Closer to Baltimore, the bulk of the damage came from hulking trees ripped down by Irene.

"All of a sudden we heard "boom'," said Renee Reamer.

On Grasty Road in Pikesville, the Reamers are up to their elbows in cleanup after a tree fell through their sunroom, narrowly missing Carissa Veith's bedroom.

"So we could have been hit by that tree. It was scary. It was like my life flashing before my eyes," Veith said.

"Thank God, thank God, everybody in the house is fine," Reamer said.

Luckily, no one was in the part of a Northwest Baltimore home when a tree destroyed one section.

At a house in Stevenson, a massive oak tree came crashing down through the bedroom, pinning a couple who was asleep in their bed. The woman was able to free herself and call for help. The man had to be rescued and rushed to the hospital.

Irene also brought a huge scare for Donald Harris.

"My head is still hurting," Harris said.

He and his wife were asleep when this massive tree came crashing into the bedroom of their Waltherson neighborhood home at 11:30 p.m. Saturday.

"It was like a tractor trailer coming through my house, all over me," he said. "Debris was flying. I grabbed my wife's arm. I tried to pull her to safety. She was asleep. I just covered myself with all kinds of blankets to protect myself with all kinds of blankets and whatever I could grab."

There was damage also to a 1943 Mount Washington home and the car parked in the driveway.

"My poor car is probably gone," Welsh said.

Irene's visit to Maryland lasted only hours, but cleaning up her mess could take months.

Irene is bringing a lot of work to tree trimmers as well. Some say they've got so many calls that they're not taking any new customers. Others say they have a waiting list.

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