Woman killed by falling tree at Adelaide University soccer ground on War Memorial Dr

Witnesses who saw a giant gum tree branch crush a 22-year-old Adelaide woman to death in the parklands have been left distraught, as investigators probe the freak accident.

An Adelaide woman, 22, has been killed after being crushed under a tree at a soccer pitch.

At 2.30pm, the young woman was sitting under a gum tree at the University of Adelaide soccer ground on War Memorial Dr, when part of the trunk collapsed on her.

A friend of the woman killed by a falling tree branch breaks down at the scene. Picture: Brett Hartwig

The friend is comforted by police. Picture: Brett Hartwig

Police at the scene of the tragedy. Picture: Brett Hartwig

Emergency services at the scene. Picture: Brett Hartwig

A young woman has been killed in a freak accident at the Adelaide Uni soccer fields when a tree fell and killed her. Picture: Dasha Havrilenko

Paramedics arrived on the scene and attempted to revive her but she died at the scene. A young man believed to be a friend of the woman broke down at the site and was comforted by police.

Arborists were called to secure the area.

A short distance from the tragic scene, the Adelaide University Soccer Club continued their training with the junior players.

Mother Nicole Miglis, 42, from Hilton was dropping off her 11-year-old daughter for training when she saw emergency services.

Ms Miglis said she didn’t know about the accident until she arrived at the pitch.

“We got an email beforehand telling us training will be moved several metres down and that’s all, we had no idea what actually happened here,” she said.

“It’s a bit strange because this place gets really busy with kids training from about 5.30pm to 8.30pm and some of them were playing here yesterday.

“But I think it’s just a freak accident, things like this don’t happen here often.”

Ciam Tuohy, 30, who lives in the CBD, has been running on the soccer grounds every second day for the last three years.

Mr Tuohy said he counts himself lucky today after randomly deciding not to run under the fallen tree.

The site where the woman died. Picture: Brett Hartwig

“I run directly past the area where the tree branch has fallen. It is actually quite scary when I think about it,” he told The Advertiser.

“I randomly decided to run a bit differently today, which I now see saved me from serious injury.

“What’s even stranger is I’ve never seen tree trunks or branches fall on the soccer ground, it usually happens near the river, but not here.”

Another runner Greg Bishop, 61, from Mount Osmond said nothing serious like this has happened in his 25 years of running on the pitch.

“This is a very safe loop, no falling branches apart from the occasional twigs or whatnot after a storm, but that’s to be expected,” he said.

“It’s just so devastating to know someone was so unfortunate to be sitting under the one tree which must have rotted.”

Lord Mayor Dr Jane Lomax-Smith said council staff were at the scene assisting authorities.

“I express my sincere condolences to the family and friends of the young woman tragically killed in what appears to be a shocking accident,” she said.

The incident occurred near a soccer ground on War Memorial Drive.

“Council staff are assisting authorities at the scene and we are doing our best to determine what has happened.

“Unfortunately, I can provide no further information at this time as the circumstances which led to this tragic event will be the subject of official investigation.”

Police will be preparing a report for the coroner.

It comes a couple of weeks after a young mum and her daughter were struck by a falling tree branch at a Mount Barker playground.

Anna Frances-Wood’s leg was broken in three places and the branch just missed seriously injuring her daughter, 4.