MADAWASKA – The Madawaska Board of Selectmen has hired a local contractor to assist homeowners in the St. David Village area who were hit on Sunday by a freak storm.

Deschaine Sanitation will provide hauling services over the next two weeks, Town Manager Arthur Faucher said Friday.

The Sunday night storm broke or toppled hundreds of trees in a 3-mile-wide area along Route 1 and Gagnon Road. The storm had winds estimated at 100 mph to 150 mph.

The storm also damaged homes, demolished a barn, tore down sheds and garages, and blew exterior furniture around. Some items were blown across the yards of two and three neighbors.

Deschaine will haul storm debris at no cost to homeowners.

The business will begin hauling debris away Monday. Faucher said homeowners should place branches, tree limbs and debris from the storm along the highway.

Deschaine will start by hauling roadside debris. The company later will be available with other equipment to extricate storm debris elsewhere on private property, according to Faucher.

Deschaine has a machine with grapples on it to load larger branches and limbs. Residents with debris behind their homes need to contact Faucher or Deschaine to make arrangements.

Faucher said the town could not use municipal equipment on private property, so Deschaine was hired to do the hauling work.

The town manager said he also is asking homeowners to contact their insurance companies for assistance.