Woman killed in bed by falling tree, husband trapped

BROOMALL, Pa. – A 90-foot tree fell on a home in suburban Philadelphia early Friday, killing a woman in her bed and trapping her husband beside her for hours before he could be rescued, authorities said.

The tree apparently came down on the split-level home at about 6 a.m., but rescue units were not called until about 8:15 a.m. after a neighbor heard screams, officials said. It then took more than an hour after that call to free the husband.

Alan Cooper’s injuries did not appear to be serious, said Marple Township police Chief Thomas Murray.

His wife, Marjay Cooper, was pronounced dead at the scene.

A tree service was called to lift the tree with a crane, and then fire crews used chain saws and crow bars to clear roofing, tree limbs and other debris to free Alan Cooper, officials said.

When rescuers got to the bedroom on the upper floor, Cooper knew his wife had died and told them: “Get me the hell out of here,” a township safety officer said.

Cooper spoke calmly to the crews as they worked to free him, the chief said.

A wet snow was falling but Murray said he did not belive the incident was weather-related.

“It was a freak accident,” he said.

The couple’s ages were not immediately available.