Tree destroys cabin in Michigan camp and counselor trapped in bed for 90 minutes

BENONA TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — At a northern Michigan camp, a tree fell on a cabin with 14 people inside, mostly girls, early Thursday morning, trapping a counselor in her bed for 90 minutes, authorities said.

“Fortunately, the adult caregiver was able to exit the destroyed cabin and appears to be OK,” state police said.

Authorities were called to Camp Ao-Wa-Kiya in Oceana County, 75 miles northwest of Grand Rapids, around 2 a.m. Police said part of the tree fell on the cabin where 12 girls and two adults were sleeping.

A local towing company, Eagle Towing, was able to “lift the tree enough for the woman to get out,” said Jack White, chief of the Shelby-Benona Fire Department.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better outcome,” White said. “This is a Christian camp. My gut feeling is that she was laying there waiting for us to do our job and praying while we did it. She didn’t need to be reassured.”

An Eagle Towing crew removes a fallen tree that destroyed a cabin and trapped a counselor for 90 minutes at Camp Ao-Wa-Kiya in Oceana County, Michigan, on Thursday, June 20, 2024. Police said 14 people, including 12 girls, were inside the cabin. (Andrew Heykoop/Eagle Towing via AP)

Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Andrew Heykoop

No other injuries were reported among the campers in the cabin. One police officer suffered a minor hand injury.

“This definitely could have been a tragedy,” said Sheriff Craig Mast, who pointed out that there was no storm in the area at that hour.

White said part of the tree broke off and fell about 30 feet (9.1 meters) before hitting the cabin.

“Most of the other huts were asleep the whole time. They didn’t know what was going on,” he said.

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