Jupiter Falls

A tree as old as this country crashed onto Milton street in the McGill Ghetto. The maple tree, affectionately known as Jupiter was felled by a violent storm which ripped through Montreal Tuesday afternoon. The gusts of wind reached as high as 110 km/h but the storm passed quickly through the city, lasting no longer than 15 minutes.

Although some originally thought lightning took down the tree, after observing the area, Montreal city workers believed it was likely the wind which caused the collapse. One onlooker, who did not give his name, recounted what happened. "There was a loud noise, a crack. Then the tree twisted a couple of times, and crashed through the fence."

Nicolas Rhodeus, a 14-year old FACE student, lives in the house where Jupiter resided for over a century. "The tree was great cover", he laughed, recalling the snowball fights during the winter and the water fights of the summer. After growing up with the tree his entire life, he sat stunned surveying the devastation the tree left in his backyard, and on Milton street.

As city workers cleared the street, many onlookers and a few summer students gaped at the mess in the street. One car took the brunt of the tree. It had a cracked windshield, a few dents, and a broken back windshield.

Nicolas said he will miss the tree, as well as the family of raccoons who lives there every year. "They left just last week." Lucky for them, as Jupiter, like his mythological counterpart, did not show any mercy for anything in his way.