A Peepal tree (Ficus religiosa) fell on a private school in Chembur, Maharashtra, killing an 11-year-old kid and injuring four others, according to local authorities.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) Mumbai Fire Brigade was notified of the incident, which happened at approximately 2:58 p.m. on Road No. 11 near Heritage Pride in Chembur. Rescue personnel were dispatched to the scene right away.
Eighteen kids from Universal High School in Tilak Nagar were being transported home by the school bus. Thirteen children were on board when the tree collapsed onto the bus after five students had already gotten off at a previous stop, according to officials.
Before emergency personnel arrived, the youngsters were saved by the bus conductor with the help of locals, according to officials. According to officials, Zen Hospital admitted five injured students.
Four students were later determined to be in stable condition by hospital authorities, while Vihan Shrivastav, age 11, passed away from his wounds. At 4:23 p.m., he was pronounced dead. According to officials, one of the injured students is still in critical condition.
The tree was about 70 years old and had undergone routine pruning in May, according to Shankar Bhosale, assistant commissioner of BMC’s M (west) Ward. The tree seemed to be in terrific shape. On the surface, it appears like it may have been uprooted due to decaying roots, according to Bhosale.
The precise cause of the collapse will be ascertained following a thorough investigation, despite BMC officials’ insistence that the tree was examined and trimmed as part of routine maintenance. An investigation into the incident has been started by the BMC.
Despite regular BMC inspections, this is the second tree-fall incident in Mumbai this month, raising concerns about the safety of old roadside trees. Additionally, it rekindled calls for a more thorough scientific evaluation of elderly trees, especially during the monsoon when strong winds and damp soil might make uprooting more likely.
A nearly 50-year-old Elephant Earpod tree fell onto the Elevated Nature Trail at Malabar Hill earlier this month, causing damage to a portion of the wooden walkway and necessitating the temporary closure of the well-liked attraction while repairs were made.
