A group of firefighters in Wilmington, North Carolina, knelt and prayed outside the home where a mother and her infant died when a tree fell Friday.

They were the first known deaths attributed to Tropical Storm Florence, which was a Category 1 hurricane when it struck the city, reported by CNN.

Most moving picture of the day. Firefighters kneel in prayer in North Carolina after mother and infant were crushed by a tree that fell on their home during #HurricanceFlorence. #Prayers #Brotherhood #SometimesWeLose pic.twitter.com/AsdNS3SLy9 — Bill Rehkopf (@BillRehkopf) September 15, 2018

The father was injured in the incident and was transported to a hospital, officials said.

Hurricane Florence is being blamed for taking several lives in North Carolina, including that of a woman and infant child who were killed when a massive tree crashed through their modest brick home early Friday. A man electrocuted while plugging in a generator during a heavy rain and another knocked down by wind were among the other casualties reported from the monster storm lashing the Southeast.

Firefighters kneel to pray after mother and baby die from falling tree A group of firefighters in Wilmington, North Carolina knelt and prayed outside the home where a mother and her infant child died from a tree falling on their home. pic.twitter.com/tjUi5aGbym — Healing Emotional Wounds (@Godisyourhelper) September 15, 2018

The tree’s massive size required special equipment from rescuers also battling whipping winds and pelting rain to extricate them. Wilmington Deputy Fire Chief Steve Mason said the victims died at the scene.

“The size of the tree is not something you could simply cut with a chainsaw and remove and then quickly extricate,” he said. “It required a tremendous amount of heavy lifting, airbags and saws.”

CNN and AP contributed to this report.

See also: