Tragedy hit the US on Saturday when an eucalyptus tree fell on a wedding party in Whittier, California, killing a woman and injuring five other people, including a 4-year-old girl.
According to NBC Los Angeles, the incident happened when a group was taking photos around 4:30 p.m. The 100-foot-tall tree unexpectedly toppled, trapping around 20 people under its branches. More than 100 firefighters were called to the scene, using chainsaws to remove the victims.
“I heard the crackling and I’m looking up and it was just an odd sound,” witness Mary Escarga told the station.
Another said that the bride was limping slightly, but screaming about her mom.
Of the five hospitalised, one 4-year-old girl remains in critical condition with head trauma. The others suffered minor injuries.
“Fortunately, there weren’t more people injured by the tree collapse,” Los Angeles County Fire Department Deputy Chief John Tripp said during a news conference. “It could have been a lot worse.”
