A 9-year-old girl was killed by a fallen tree Thursday afternoon when thunderstorms swept through the Sebago area.
The girl from Poland was in a car at Sebago Lake Family Campground on Richville Road in Standish, where her family was camping, about 4:15 p.m. when a tree fell during the storm, trapping her inside, according to Capt. Donald Foss of the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.
Rescuers were delayed in reaching the scene, because heavy rain and wind had blocked the roads with debris and brought down trees, some 24 to 30 inches in diameter, Foss said late Thursday night.
Rescuers, her family and campers used chainsaws, tractors and the Jaws of Life to clear away trees and free her from the car, Foss said. But the child died at the scene.
The area around the campsite was heavily damaged, including the family’s camper and two cars.
Thursday afternoon’s severe weather left more than 15,000 without power, the bulk in Central Maine Power’s service area.