Homes smashed by trees, fires sparked on power lines on Gold Coast

A family on the Gold Coast narrowly avoided tragedy when a massive eucalyptus tree collapsed and crashed through their home. The family was playing a card game inside at the time, just minutes before the disaster struck. They were incredibly fortunate to escape unharmed.

The incident occurred around 7:30 PM in Ashmore. The homeowner, Raul, who has lived there for seven years, was at work in the hospital emergency room at the time. Afterward, they told 9News, "We were sitting there... playing Uno, having a great time, just five minutes before this happened." The timing was incredibly close.

Photos from inside the house reveal a scene of devastation, with insulation torn down and the ceiling crushed. The family was forced to find alternative accommodation for the night as the house was without power. Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred weakened to a Category 1 system last night and was further downgraded to a tropical low this morning, but is still expected to bring heavy rainfall.

Elsewhere on the Gold Coast, fallen trees caused power outages and sparked an electrical fire. Videos posted on social media showed the moment downed power lines caused small explosions. Arcing electricity could be seen jumping from the collapsed wires, highlighting the danger posed by the storm.