'It was scary': severe thunderstorm wreaks havoc in southwestern Ontario
A short but powerful thunderstorm that came through Southwestern Ontario Saturday, killing at least one person and injuring others.
OPP are reporting one person is deceased, and two others were injured when a tree fell on a camping trailer at Pinehurst Lake in Brant County.
At Cobble Hills Golf Club in Thamesford, Ont. three people suffered minor injuries when a tree fell onto a golf cart by the ninth tee.
Doug Breen, vice president of Golf North — which owns Cobble Hills — told CTV News that 9-1-1 was called after a man was trapped underneath a downed tree.
"A number of golfers frantically ran into the clubhouse to notify staff,” says Breen.
“The brave people ran back out into the storm to rescue him from underneath the tree. They managed to lift it enough to get him free."
In Old East Village (OEV) in London, Ont. there was major damage within a two-block radius.
"The wind was the most intense thing I've ever felt in my entire life," says Adam Steadman, a resident of OEV.
"It was just it was the power. The power was just incredible."
Downed trees and power lines had blocked Lorne Ave, and Princess Ave. as well as Ontario St.
Clay Fournier was taking photos of his car for insurance purposes after it was crushed by a tree.
"I was in the washroom getting ready to take off, heard some bangs and came checked it out and tree just came right out of the ground," says Fournier.
Just a few meters away around the corner on Ontario St. a tree had been ripped from the ground, breaking the sidewalk and landed on a home.
The man renting the house was too shaken to appear on camera for CTV News but did say he was in the front room of the home, just a few feet away from where the tree hit.
"My cats were going crazy, and if it was a few feet to the left, I could have been really hurt," he said.
On Princess Ave, Cherie Renders was home, when a tree broke off and landed on her roof.
"It was scary," says Renders.
"It just started raining so I let the dogs in. I went to the front of the house and there's just trees on the whole side of my house.
So I called my husband and then he came from work and told me that it was on top of the roof and then there's a hole."
When her husband Steve returned, he noticed the tree had punctured the roof.
"There is three-by-three holes there roughly and they took off a couple of heat vents too," says Steve.
"It's hard to put my thoughts together now but honestly, I'm thankful to see friends and family out here to help out so that’s the encouraging part."
Across the city at the London International Airport, a plane owned by Diamond Aircraft Flight Centre was toppled over.
Stop lights were all over the city, as CTV News noticed power outages from Dundas and Adelaide, all the way near Dundas and Veterans Memorial.
Back in OEV, the cleanup was just getting underway.
"Everybody thinks that it can’t happen to you," says Steadman.
"With climate change, this is the new reality. It's intense, and you just have to be prepared."
A total of five fatalities have so far been reported as a result of the storm.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
New charges for Ont. woman who previously admitted to defrauding doulas
The Brantford, Ont. woman who was previously sentenced to house arrest after admitting to deceiving doulas has been charged again in connection to a new victim.