By Benjamin Plummer of 
Photo: SUPPLIED
An Auckland couple say they are lucky to be alive after a 30-40m-tall tree, which they had pleaded to be removed, smashed into their house as a fierce storm battered the city.
Real estate agent Simone Roberton and her husband are incensed after the eucalyptus tree, which they have "pleaded and demanded" with Auckland Council to remove for more than two years, was uprooted last night, causing extensive damage to their house, car and Meadowbank property.
Auckland Council said it was sorry for the "distress" the fallen tree has caused, saying it had decided just last week the tree needed to be cut down.
But that decision came too late for the Robertons' house, with last night's severe winds bringing down the eucalyptus and dozens of other trees across the city.
'Like an earthquake or a tsunami'
The couple were standing inside their home, which borders Rutherford Reserve, when they heard a roaring, ripping noise outside.
"It was like an earthquake or a tsunami was happening," Roberton said.
Seconds later, they could see the "humongous" tree come crashing down, before it smashed into the the side of their Meadowbank home.
"We just looked at each other and thought 's***', because you don't know what direction that tree is going to fall in, plus it was dark outside."
The tree ripped off the edge of the home's roofing area, metres from where the couple were standing, before landing on top of a vehicle in their driveway.
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"We knew straight away, I started shaking and started screaming... We just couldn't believe that we were still standing. How did that not kill us?
"Somebody was looking down on us tonight, obviously," Roberton told the Herald on Wednesday night.
Roberton said she has been in an ongoing battle with Auckland Council for years trying to remove the tree, because the couple were "fearful this very thing would happen".
"We told them it would end this way and it has. We're parents of three kids, so we're devastated that this could've been so much worse."
"That area is a bog in the park and we told them [Auckland Council] the unstable bog will cause this tree to fall on our house, and they still ignored it," she said.
She said Auckland Council refused their multiple requests and, on one occasion, called her an "anti-tree hugger" who would remove all trees in Auckland if she had her way.
"We are in shock and ropeable that we nearly got killed. It appears to us that trees are more important than human life."
The couple called Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) on Wednesday night, which told them it was too big of a job for firefighters to remove.
After a call to the Auckland Council, tree removal company Treescape arrived at the scene, to which the arborist told the couple: "That's the worst I've ever seen."
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The large tree remained on top of Roberton's car overnight and was set to be removed by a crane in the morning. The couple were told they would need to vacate their home on Thursday morning because "anything could happen" when the tree was attempted to be moved.
Roberton described her neighbours as "wonderful" and said they were just as in shock that the couple were alive.
Neighbour Yvette Brenan told the Herald the tree is between 30 and 40 metres tall.
"Everyone was inside and we heard a massive bang. We ran out and it was half a metre away from the home," she said.
Brenan said her family had only recently moved into the area but all the neighbours had been fighting to have it removed for some time.
"All the neighbours were saying that it was dodgy and have been asking the council to have it removed and obviously tonight it's gone.
"When it came up it looked like there was just a whole bunch of water and everything underneath and there weren't as many roots as you would think ... it looks like it should've been ripped out quite some time ago," Brenan said.
'We apologise for the distress this has caused' - council
In a statement on Wednesday night, Auckland Council's general manager of parks and community facilities Taryn Crewe said: "This must have been a terrifying experience for Ms Roberton and her family and our thoughts are with them.
"Our first priority is to secure the site and have the tree safely removed. Our team has been to the property tonight and will be back again in the morning to make all of the necessary arrangements."
Crewe said a thorough review would be carried out by Auckland Council following the removal of the tree.
"It is correct that we have spoken with the property owners on a number of occasions and the council has sought independent reports on the tree, both of these suggested continued monitoring but did not indicate immediate risk or recommend removal. However, last week we made the decision to proactively seek resource consent to remove and replace the tree.
"It is therefore upsetting to us as well and we apologise for the distress that this has caused Ms Roberton, her family and the neighbouring properties," Crewe said.
- This story was originally published by the New Zealand Herald.
