Woman killed, another injured in Cawdor after freak lightning storm leads to fallen tree

A southwest Sydney cat grooming business owner, who died when a “freak bolt” of lightning shattered a tree on her property, has been remembered as a “beautiful mother” and a “fabulous person taken way too soon”.

A woman has died and another is injured after a tree “exploded” after a lightning strike during a freak storm. Picture: TNV

The owner of a southwest Sydney cat grooming business, killed when a “freak bolt” of lightning shattered a tree, has been remembered as a “beautiful mother” and a “fabulous person taken way too soon”.

Rosanna Hashem died and her friend Amanda Hancock was hospitalised after the tree exploded, showering them with debris, on Old Razorback Rd in Cawdor about 5.30pm on Saturday.

Ms Hashem, 44, was out the back of her salon at The Groomery Cat Grooming Services when the freak accident happened and “shook” the street.

Ms Hancock, who was standing nearby, is understood to have lost part of her finger in the lightning strike.

A NSW Police spokeswoman said Ms Hashem was treated at the scene by paramedics, but could not be revived, while Ms Hancock – also aged in her 40s – was taken to Liverpool Hospital, where she remains in a stable condition.

Sydney cat groomer Rosanna Hasem was killed over the weekend by a lightning strike hitting a tree in Sydney’s southwest. Picture: Facebook

Jemma Powell, who had worked alongside Ms Hashem for the past seven months, fought back tears, saying she was “blessed to have known her in that very short time”.

“It doesn’t feel like seven months, it feels like a hell of a lot longer,” Ms Powell said.

“It’s really tragic what’s happened.”

Rosanna Hashem was killed in a freak lightning strike in Sydney’s southwest on Saturday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

Rob Campisi said the bang was like nothing he had ever heard. Picture: Matrix

Remembering her boss, Ms Powell added that Ms Hashem was “a beautiful mother of four boys (and a) loving wife”.

“She was a sole owner of her own business, been working it up for the past five years serving the Camden community and surrounds,” Ms Powell said.

“She was very passionate about animal welfare and just a fabulous person taken way too soon”.

Jemma Powell, a family friend, gives a statement on behalf of the family.

Ms Powell said Ms Hashem was sitting on the veranda with her friend when “unfortunately the lightning struck and she caught the debris that flew off” a nearby tree.

“This is the first time that any of us are seeing the scene in daylight, so her partner’s asked me to share that he thanks everyone for their support,” she said.

“He would be standing here now if he wasn’t struggling with seeing the scene and his house the way it is.”

Ms Powell said she believed Ms Hancock was awaiting surgery for a jaw injury in hospital and was “stable at this time”.

“Words can’t describe the impact (Ms Hashem) has made,” Ms Powell said.

“She was so much more than just the cat groomer.”

In a Facebook post, The Groomery Sydney paid tribute to Ms Hashem’s life explaining how she “was not only the heart and foundation” of the business but also a “dear friend to so many”.

“Her absence leaves an immeasurable void,” the post read.

The business will remain closed until further notice.

A neighbour on Old Razorback Rd, Rob Campisi, said in more than a decade of living there he had never experienced anything like the lightning strike.

“It just started to rain and then all of a sudden just the loudest bang we’ve ever heard,” Mr Campisi said.

“The power went out and (I was) in the shed and … I looked outside and saw a big cloud of smoke.”

Mr Campisi said he knew straight away it had hit the “paddock across the road”.

Emergency crews at the scene. Picture: TNV

Police at the scene after a fallen tree killed one woman and injured another. Picture: TNV

“It was just a big bang … it was really loud,” he said.

“Something that I’ve never heard before … (I thought) what the hell was that.”

Less than 10 minutes later, Mr Campisi said he heard emergency services rushing up the road and immediately thought “someone has been hurt”.

Mr Campisi said the conditions didn’t warrant people needing to stay inside and he certainly “wasn’t worried about going outside”.

“It was a freak bolt of lightning,” he said.

“Sometimes you just don’t know when it’s your time.”

Authorities are investigating after the tree feel down during a storm. Picture: TNV

Former Farmer Wants A Wife star Lachie McAleer, who lives in a neighbouring property, had just returned inside his home “just briefly” when he heard a “massive bang”.

“I’m like that’s close right,” he said.

Lachlan (Lachie) McAleer who lives on an adjoining property. Picture: RIGHTPHOTO

Mr McAleer said he rushed outside to check on his animals, and usher them into the home.

When discovering the woman had died and another rushed to hospital, Mr McAleer said it was “upsetting”.

“I can only do what I can do (which is) the protection of the animals,” he said.

“I was surprised to find out it was that close, but the bang was that loud … it was massive”.

The Bureau of Meteorology’s Edward Medlock said there had been a “very dangerous thunderstorm tag” just to the west of Picton on Saturday.

However, once it had travelled over the area, it wasn’t deemed as serious.

He said storms were expected early this week in Sydney, particularly on Monday and Tuesday with heavy rainfall expected.

The conditions are expected to move north east and storms were expected to subside by Wednesday or Thursday.

SES spokesman David Pedersen told The Daily Telegraph severe thunderstorms started about 1.15pm on Saturday in the Snowy Monaro region and it “slowly moved” inland.

He added there had been 114 incidents “since then” with the majority coming from the Sydney metro areas, with the most coming in Sutherland.

Mr Pedersen said majority of incidents were leaking roofs from heavy rainfall but as for Cawdor and surrounding areas, there were roughly five calls overnight.

On Saturday, NSW ambulance inspector David Kynaston said crews found two women “who had been seated about six metres away from a large tree”.

“The lightning bolt … literally caused the tree to explode, sending debris all over the place,” he said.

“Tragically one of the females … has lost her life.”

Inspector Kynaston said it was a “freak incident” which was also “very confronting” for emergency services.