Four injured as tree falls on flower shop in Thane

The tree came crashing down, falling over the victims. An eyewitness said they suffered injuries to their head, hand, face and legs. Sushant Utekar, a shopkeeper alerted the local firemen and other civic rescuers who reached the spot, removed the fallen tree, and took the injured to hospital

Thane: Four persons, including two teenagers, suffered serious injuries on Sunday after an old Gulmohar tree fell on a flower shop in Thane. The injured are being treated at the civic-run Kalwa hospital, said Yasin Tadvi, chief of the disaster management cell of Thane Municipal Corporation. The incident occurred at about 2pm near Khandoba Temple on Kharton Road which is behind Jawahar Baug fire station. The victims, identified as Meghana Adsule, 45, Unnati Adsule, 16, Sainchi Adsule, 15, and Umesh Honmane, 75, were walking by the florist shop.

Thane, India - May ,12, 2024:ÊA tree has collapsed on a small flower shop of Khartan road, Thane East. Four persons injured ,in Thane, in Mumbai, India, on, Sunday, May,12, 2024. ( Praful Gangurde / HT Photo )

The tree came crashing down, falling over the victims. An eyewitness said they suffered injuries to their head, hand, face and legs. Sushant Utekar, a shopkeeper alerted the local firemen and other civic rescuers who reached the spot, removed the fallen tree, and took the injured to hospital.

Utekar said, “The flower shop was right in front of the Gulmohar tree, which according to me did not appear weak. There was no wind or rain either when it crashed into the shop. The timing was unfortunate for the victims as they were walking by the shop when the incident occurred,” said Utekar.

Employees of the disaster management department and fire brigade personnel were present at the spot with 1 fire vehicle and 1 rescue vehicle. The RDMC officer said, “The injured have been admitted to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital Kalwa for treatment. Since the tree was big, we took the help of the Tree Authority Department to clear the area.”

One of the eyewitnesses to the tree fall incident said that the Thane Municipal Corporation should be serious about pre-monsoon tree pruning as in the city heavy rainfall and gusty winds are common during the monsoon season. By proactively trimming branches and removing dead or dangerous trees, the civic body will save many more lives.

Each year, the Thane Municipal Corporation carries out pre-monsoon tree pruning in order to mitigate potential hazards posed by trees during heavy rains and strong winds, the department has intensified its efforts in pruning trees across the city.