Le Duc Thanh, chairman of District 1 that is home to the park, said that while five people were exercising in the park in the morning, a branch broke off from over 10 meters high and fell onto them.
Police officers inspect a tree branch that broke off a tree and killed two people at Tao Dan Park in HCMC, Aug. 9, 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Ha Giang |
Two middle-aged individuals died on the spot, while three other people were seriously injured and are currently receiving treatment at 115 People's Hospital and Saigon General Hospital.
"The branch that caused the incident was still fresh, and there were no signs of disease or pest infestation beforehand," Thanh said.
A representative from the Ho Chi Minh City Greenery Parks Co. Ltd reported that the tree is around 20 meters tall and belongs to the dipterocarpaceae family, while the branch is nearly 10 meters long and around 20-30 cm. The branch fell when it was not rainy or windy, the source said.
A tree at Tao Dan Park in HCMC after one of its branches broke off, killing two people, Aug. 9, 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Dinh Van |
Tao Dan is a long-established park in HCMC.
It is bordered by four streets: Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Huyen Tran Cong Chua, Nguyen Du, and Cach Mang Thang Tam. The park is famous for its many giant and old trees. Every day, many people come here to hang out and exercise.