Man killed by falling tree during Ontario storm that spawned six tornadoes

A 46-year-old man was killed during the Sept. 21 storm that produced six tornadoes in eastern Ontario.

Darren Smith died after a maple tree fell on him during the storm near his home. His 17-year-old daughter, who was beside him when the tree fell, survived.

Smith lived in Rideau Lakes, Ont., approximately 60 kilometres north of Kingston, Ont., and was a longtime municipal employee in Kingston.His most recent role was as the city’s supervisor of recreation facilities.

“It’s a tragic loss for us. Really it’s more than just losing an employee – it’s losing a part of the family here,” Kingston Mayor Bryan Paterson told CTV Ottawa.

Other stories of serious injuries caused by the storm are coming to light as well.

Leo Muldoon’s barn was destroyed when a tornado tore through Dunrobin, one of the hardest-hit sections of Ottawa. Muldoon, who was working on the roof of the barn, was thrown to the ground. His wife says he suffered broken ribs and collapsed lungs.

Another victim, Shari Rochon, needed emergency surgery to remove her spleen after she was impaled in the stomach by a piece of wood in front of her 14-year-old son. She suffered a punctured lung and a shattered vertebrae.

With a report from CTV Ottawa’s Joanne Schnurr