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Aldgate house crushed during violent storms in Adelaide Hills

ROGER and Jacquie Playfair will return from an overseas holiday to find the roof of their home crushed by a large tree that came down in the wild weather sweeping through the Adelaide Hills.

Simon Playfiar inspects the damage to his brother’s Aldgate house, which was crushed by falling trees in last night’s storms. Picture: Campbell Brodie
Simon Playfiar inspects the damage to his brother’s Aldgate house, which was crushed by falling trees in last night’s storms. Picture: Campbell Brodie

ROGER and Jacquie Playfair will return from an overseas holiday to find the roof of their home crushed by a large tree that came down in the wild weather sweeping through the Adelaide Hills.

The couple are currently halfway down the coast of Alaska on a cruise ship, blissfully unaware their Aldgate home now has a large gum tree jammed in its roof.

Roger’s brother, Simon Playfair, said the pair was not expected back for a couple of weeks and would be upset when they see the damage.

“It’ll just be one of those things in life you have to face,” Mr Playfair said.

“I just hope the insurance can be of some benefit.”

Mr Playfair said his brother was a keen environmentalist and took care of the trees around the house.

“He’s done a lot of management of the trees to make it a safe place to live but (the weather) is a little unprecedented,” he said.

He said Roger and Jacquie bought the house about seven or eight years ago.

In another incident, part of the Le Cornu building on Anzac Highway was ripped off by strong winds and damaged the power lines next to it, causing explosions.

Craig Mullen, who works across the road, said he heard loud explosions and went outside to investigate.

“Well I was in the workshop and we just heard a massive bang and I thought a part of our building had fell down because it was pretty loud,” Mr Mullen said.

“After that it happened again and we went out and stuff was just bouncing off the wires ... the wires and sparks were shooting everywhere.”

Further down south, Christine and Neville James were driving with their grandchildren along Commercial Road, Pt Noarlunga, when a tin shed flew across the road, nearly hitting their car.

“It happened seconds in front of us. It flew over the top of the trees, hit the power lines and into our kids house and the house next door,” Mrs James said.

Follow our live, rolling coverage of the wild weather.

Original URL: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/aldgate-house-crushed-during-violent-storms-in-adelaide-hills/news-story/6f80b0c357b3beaeeeeb2046e03470f1