Wicked winds wreck car

By ROSALYN ROY

Robert Musseau’s 2018 Chevrolet Equinox was badly damaged by an early February windstorm that rolled through the region and subsequently resulted in a power outage. Securing constrution objects like this door (bottom right), is important to prevent damage to both property and people. – SUBMITTED

PORT AUX BASQUES – The Wreckhouse winds are legendary, but much of the rest of the Southwest coast also gets more than its fair share of excessive winds.

Robert Musseau lives in Grand Bay, and he can attest that even here in town the winds can cause significant destruction.

Last Tuesday, Feb. 2, Musseau’s car was all but destroyed after by strong winds battered his 2018 Chevrolet Equinox with a door.

“It was an old interior door that was probably left outside after someone did renovations,” speculates Musseau. “There was no door earlier that evening. Just brought the dog in when we heard the loud bang.”

In fact, the bang was so loud that even the neighbours ventured out to see what had happened.

“Went outside and found a piece of a door on my front patio. Thought it just hit the house and damaged the siding,” explains Musseau.

Upon closer inspection, he discovered the door had also struck his vehicle with enough force to shatter the windshield and send glass raining down inside onto the front seats.

“I noticed the vehicle’s windshield when (I went) closer for a better look and was taken aback with all the damage to the vehicle,” says Musseau.

Whether or not the car can be fixed or will have to be replaced entirely is still unknown. Musseau says an insurance adjuster has yet to assess the extent of the damage. Either way it seems likely he will take a financial hit as well, something Musseau says “sucks big time”.

“I’ve got to go through my own insurance for the vehicle, and if I want the house siding fixed I will need to go through my home insurance.”

Assuming the vehicle is repaired instead of being written off entirely, Musseau estimates its re-sale value drops by about $2000 because it will have been flagged as having an accident.

Despite that, Musseau says he is just thankful that nobody got hurt. He recommends people secure any items laying around their property if a windstorm is in the forecast.

“Some one could have gotten seriously hurt or killed by that door.”

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