Mother, Baby Die in Hurricane Florence After Tree Falls on Home in Wilmington

A mother and infant in North Carolina died when a tree fell on their home in Wilmington amid heavy winds from Hurricane Florence.

The Wilmington Police Department confirmed the deaths on Facebook at around 3 p.m. ET on Sept. 14.

The department “can confirm the first two fatalities of Hurricane Florence in Wilmington. A mother and infant were killed when a tree fell on their house. The father was transported to NHRMC with injuries.”

The police department said earlier, “Rescue officials are on scene trying to remove the tree from off the home. No official update on the condition of the victims.”

Other details about the incident are not clear.

Hurricane Florence is moving slowly to the west and has 75 mph winds, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) at 2 p.m. on Sept. 14. The agency is primarily warning residents about heavy storm surge and heavy rainfall.

Before weakening, the storm was a Category 2 storm with winds of 100 mph with higher gusts.

Another death was reported in North Carolina during the storm.

Tom Collins, the head of Pender County Emergency Management in North Carolina, said that a woman in Hampstead had a heart attack on Sept. 14 but crews could not get to her due to downed trees. Collins said they had to use a front loader to clear the roads, but a tree smashed through its windshield, according to The Associated Press.