A mountain tallow tree believed to have brown root rot disease collapsed on Guia Hill yesterday, hitting a woman who was running on the fitness trail there, according to separate statements by the Fire Services Bureau (CB) and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM).
According to online footage circulated yesterday, the victim was seen lying on the fitness trail after being felled by a tree limb, while a man tried to stop the bleeding from a wound on her head. The CB statement noted that the victim, who is in her forties, suffered head lacerations and was rushed to the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre for emergency treatment.
The incident occurred at about 3 p.m. yesterday when a nine-metre-tall tree – known as Sapium discolor (its scientific name) – on Estrada Do Engenheiro Trigo (松山馬路), the CB statement said, adding that the victim was losing consciousness by the time ambulance arrived the scene.
About three hours after the incident, the Municipal Affairs Bureau issued a statement, pointing out that “the preliminary assessment is that the tree has been suffering by brown root rot disease, resulting in the tree falling due to instability”, expressing condolences to the victim.
According to the IAM statement, an immediate on-site inspection did not reveal any abnormality in the trees surrounding the accident site. It added that the last tree inspection in the area was in mid-August this year.
The bureau will closely follow up the incident and further step up the inspection of trees with safety risks, yesterday’s statement underlined.
This video grab retrieved yesterday from a clip circulating on social media shows a woman lying on the Guia Hill fitness trail after being struck by a tree limb.
