Piles of debris dotted streets in throughout Collier County Monday. Chainsaws could be heard buzzing about as residents cleaned up following a straight line thunderstorm that swept through Golden Gate early Sunday morning.
"We heard the wind picking up really fast and we heard the first bang," said Abe Mercado.
Mercado said he got an alert on his phone and just enough time to warn his family.
"It sounded like, like a plane fell on top of the house."
A large tree fell on top of Mercado's home, located at the corner of 25th Court and 55th Street Southwest, partially damaging the roof.
"We give thanks to the Lord that it didn't crash through, because if it had crashed through, it would have killed us," he said.
Damage was also widespread south of Golden Gate Parkway and East of Santa Barbara Boulevard.
Trees and power lines fell on Emily Robaul's home. She had just enough time to get her family to safety.
"I woke up my brother, because he's next to the window that has all the trees. I had to wake up everybody and I took him and my cousin, he was sleeping at my house at the time, into a closet."
Collier County is asking people to keep storm debris and trash separate for curbside pickup.
For more information on how to separate these items click here.
