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IRMA DAMAGE: Trees topple on homes, school forced to close in Foothills

Cleanup is underway Tuesday in the North Carolina Foothills after heavy rain and wind from Irma toppled trees and brought down power lines.

Hickory City Schools had to cancel classes at Oakwood Elementary after a large tree took down power lines.

The school district had delayed the start of school Tuesday morning by two hours, but then made the decision to cancel class at Oakwood.

"If this tree had fallen on a school bus, on a parent transporting children this morning, I hate to even go there,” Beverly Snowden, with the Hickory City Schools, said. “So, to our parents who are concerned about our decision making with two-hour delays, this is our reason. Our children come first."

A tree fell onto Martha Snipes' home south of Morganton in Burke County. The family said they were inside at the time, but they were not hurt. They said part of the tree is now in their living room.

"We heard the creaking sound and my son said, ‘Run,’ and we ran back inside the living room, and luckily to the far end, and it just came through the ceiling just as we came back through the door,” Snipes said. “We were lucky."

Also in Burke County, firefighters were called to a home to help an elderly homeowner after a tree fell and blocked his driveway.

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