The Wake County Sheriff's Office said deputies responded just before 10 p.m. to Bartons Enclave Lane near Raleigh to assist the Durham Highway Fire Department and EMS after a tree crashed into a home.
First responders found a man trapped inside the house. He was pronounced dead at the scene by EMS.
Katie Ferguson confirmed with ABC11 that her husband -- 71-year-old Mike Ferguson -- was the man killed. On Wednesday evening, the Wake County Sheriff's Office officially identified Mike Ferguson as the victim.
She said he was in bed when the tree crashed into the home, and two of his four daughters were also inside the home at the time. Neither was injured.
Kaite Ferguson told ABC11 that her husband was a people person who loved his retirement job at Harris Teeter.
Yellow caution tape surrounded the property Wednesday morning as investigators continued to examine the scene. A large tree appeared to have been uprooted during the storm before crashing into the second story of the home.
Many residents spent Wednesday cleaning up fallen branches and storm debris throughout the neighborhood while reflecting on the tragedy.
"It's just awful. My prayers are with the family," neighbor Christina Urban said. "It's a very tight-knit community. I think there are children that live here. I run by every day and see all the neighborhood activity. It makes me feel like maybe I need to remove some more trees from my yard. The wooded lots are a big appeal, but it's frightening to know how dangerous something like this can be."
Trees fall on houses, power outages as storm passes through central NC
Another neighbor, Steven Macon, said the incident served as a reminder of the dangers severe weather can bring.
"It definitely gives me pause," Macon said. "It makes me realize I need to look at my trees, too, but I definitely feel for the family."
The Wake County Sheriff's Office said the investigation remains ongoing and is being conducted in coordination with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
"The Wake County Sheriff's Office extends its deepest condolences to the victim's family and loved ones during this difficult time," the agency said in a statement.
Gov. Josh Stein also offered condolences to the family.
"Anna and I send our condolences to the family. Our first responders have been working hard to keep folks safe, and the power crews are restoring power," Stein said.
Extensive damage
The storms brought heavy rain, damaging winds and widespread power outages across the Triangle. Cleanup efforts are underway.
A large path of damage stretched across several neighborhoods, with fallen trees and utility lines blocking roads and damaging homes. Crews worked throughout Wednesday to clear debris, restore power and rebuild damaged infrastructure.
71-year-old man killed after tree falls on Wake County home
"The water was coming down so fast that it couldn't drain. And the wind was blowing so hard," resident Alan Handley said.
Handley also described the storm as unusually intense.
"It was very violent. At times there was a tremendous amount of lightning, thunder. But the torrential rain, it was just incredible," he said.
Widespread power outages
At one point, about 12,000 Duke Energy customers in Wake County were without power. Some neighborhoods also dealt with flooded streets, downed trees and damage to homes.
From Lynn Road to Leesville Road and Ray Road, downed trees and power lines created hazards for drivers. A transmission tower also collapsed during the storm, and aerial video showed crews working to rebuild it.
Duke Energy told ABC11 that Wake and Buncombe counties were hit hardest by the storms. At the peak of the event, the utility reported more than 300 outage events, and more than 40,000 Wake County customers required power restoration.
Many of the problems were caused by fallen trees, with saturated ground and strong wind gusts contributing to trees toppling onto roads and homes.
Wade Carter said he did not realize a tree had struck his home until Wednesday morning.
"I thought everything's not too bad. So this morning, when I got up, I got up and saw the tree and just the large tree laying on top of my garage," Carter said. "I'm just thankful that we all survived."
Tree service crews reported receiving a steady stream of calls after the storms.
"It's been over 50 calls, and while we are driving, people just stop us for help," said Lester Rapalo of North Raleigh Tree Services.
Rapalo said many residents were worried about storm-damaged trees.
"People are scared of trees that are on the roof, leaning trees, trees on the driveway, and then people are just afraid," he said.
As the cleanup continued Wednesday, tree service professionals urged homeowners to trim or remove trees that could pose a risk during future storms, saying the damage serves as a reminder of the dangers trees can present when they are too close to homes.
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