Hero Neighbors Use Backhoe to Keep Roof From Blowing Away in Storm Ali

Resourceful neighbors in the Irish town of Galway used a backhoe excavator to keep the roof of a bed & breakfast from getting blown away in the ferocious winds of Storm Ali and potentially causing injuries along a busy street.

A man identified only by his first name Diego (@diamoarr) shared the video filmed by his sister @cilladiamond on Sept. 19 that shows JCB operator Graham Heanue maneuvering the backhoe into place as the roof of Renvyle’s Castle House B&B heaves and buckles in the heavy winds.

“Neighbours to the rescue, managed to prevent the roof from blowing off and onto a busy street where it would have surely caused accidents and injuries,” Diego captioned the post.

Diego said that a local man Liam Diamond came up with the unconventional idea fearing for the safety of people walking along the busy street out front.

“Quick thinking from Liam Diamond to get local plant hire Graham Heanue to pin it down. Busy street out the front during the school run so we’re glad to be able to prevent an accident,” said Diego.

“Would take the government 3 months to ok that decision,” joked one commenter on Twitter.

The video shows the roof lifting up and appearing as if it might blow off in high winds as Storm Ali buffeted Ireland and Britain on Sept. 19.

Footage then shows Heanue extending the mechanical arm of the excavator and placing its bucket on top of the building, holding the buckling roof in place.

“Respect to everyone involved. Great stuff lads,” said a Twitter commenter.

Storm Ali Wreaks Havoc

In earlier reporting, a woman died after being blown off a cliff in County Galway, Irish police confirmed.

The woman was in her 50s died after a caravan she was in was swept off the cliff in the west of Ireland on Sept. 19.

Irish police told PA, “At approximately 7:45 a.m., a report was received that a caravan had blown off the cliff. A search was carried out at the scene on the beach and after a short time the body of a female in her 50s was recovered.”

The woman is understood to have been a tourist who was staying at a campsite.

Waves crash against the harbor wall as Storm Ali hits land on Sept. 19, 2018, in Ardrossan, Scotland. Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

The incident comes as Ireland feels the brunt of Storm Ali, with winds of up to 90 mph across the country and parts of England and Scotland.

Around 200,000 homes and businesses have been left without power, according to the BBC, with an amber warning on Sept. 19 for people in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and northern England to “be prepared.”

The Met Office issued a yellow severe weather warning on Sept. 20, in effect until the late evening hours of Thursday.

The office cautioned that spray and flooding on roads could extend journey times, and that people should expect interruption to power supplies and other services.

“Flooding of a few homes and business is likely,” the Met Office also said.

UK Met Office chief meteorologist Laura Paterson said in a statement, “The strongest winds will gradually ease from the west through this afternoon as Storm Ali moves quickly off north-eastward, reaching the Norwegian Sea this evening.

“Through Thursday another area of low pressure will develop and approach the UK from the southwest, bringing rain and second spell of strong winds later on Thursday.”

In Scotland, the Forth Road Bridge has been closed, Traffic Scotland said, with Scotland, northern Wales, and northern England set to face winds of up to 60 mph.

Rail operators shut the Highland mainline in Scotland after a freight train was derailed in the high winds.

Police clear a tree as Storm Ali hits land on Sept. 19, 2018, in Ardrossan, Scotland. Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

The unsettled weather is due to remain for the rest of the week, according to the Met Office, but is expected to improve early next week.

Storm Ali is the first storm to be named by the Met Office this season.

The Epoch Times reporter John Smithies contributed to this report.