A neighbor helped free the trapped worker after the tree also brought down power lines during powerful storms Friday night.
PLAINFIELD, N.J. — A massive tree crashed onto an Amazon delivery truck during powerful storms Friday night, trapping one worker inside the badly damaged vehicle and knocking out power to more than a dozen customers along Hillside Avenue.
The tree fell Aug. 7 as heavy rain and thunderstorms moved through parts of New Jersey and the wider Tri-State area. Witnesses said one delivery worker was outside the truck delivering packages when the tree came down, while a second worker remained inside. Amazon later said its Delivery Service Partner drivers were safe.
Residents described a sudden, violent crash as the tree struck the box truck. A witness identified by WABC as Ramon said the impact was so loud that he initially thought the tree had hit a nearby house. The fallen tree also pulled down power lines, adding another hazard around the damaged vehicle.
Shatia Winston told WABC that a neighbor realized someone was still trapped inside and rushed to help. Winston said she provided a kitchen knife, which the neighbor used to cut the worker’s seat belt. The worker was then able to get out of the truck and walk away from the wreckage, she said. No detailed medical assessment of the worker was released in the reports reviewed.
Amazon said in a statement that the incident involved drivers working for one of its Delivery Service Partners, independent businesses that deliver packages for the company. The company described the incident as frightening and said it was grateful the drivers were safe and thankful to those who responded at the scene.
The storm caused problems well beyond the block in Plainfield. Heavy rain flooded streets in Paterson and Jersey City, while fallen trees disrupted transportation elsewhere in the region. NJ Transit reported widespread disruptions as severe weather affected rail lines and other travel Friday night.
The damaged truck also disrupted deliveries in the Plainfield neighborhood. Resident Leonard King told WABC he had been waiting for an Amazon package when he received a message saying the delivery driver had encountered an issue. King said he suspected the fallen tree was the reason his package did not arrive as expected.
By Saturday morning, crews were working to remove the large tree from the truck and clear the area. The reports did not identify the two delivery workers or the neighbor who helped free the trapped worker, and no further information about injuries or damage estimates had been released.
Author note: Last updated August 10, 2026.