Three girls hit by falling tree branch during school mass in Parkdale
Witnesses have described the aftermath of a freak accident that has left a primary school student with serious head injuries in Parkdale. Three girls were leaving a school church mass when a gust of wind blew a tree limb onto them.
VIC News
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A young girl injured by a falling tree branch was conscious and asking for her mum after being struck leaving a school church mass this afternoon.
Three girls from St John Vianney’s Primary in Parkdale were hit by the falling limb as they made their way out of the nearby parish church about 12.50pm.
All three were treated for head injuries at the scene then taken to the Royal Children’s Hospital, with one girl serious and two others in stable conditions.
School principal Shane Regan said all three students were conscious and speaking as paramedics attended to them.
“It has been breezy but then a stronger gust of wind brought down the branch,” he said.
“Three little girls were injured by that branch. One girl seemed to sustain injuries that were a bit more serious. The other two girls were able to walk away and talk about what had happened.”
Of the more seriously injured student, Mr Regan added: “She was in shock and she was upset. “She was wanting her mum. When mum came, that helped her a lot. She became far calmer when mum arrived.”
The junior school pupils are in grades under four.
The huge tree, which appears to be a gum, is in the front yard of St John Vianney Church.
Mr Regan said that there had previously been no concerns about the tree, and understood it had been checked by an arborist within the past two years.
An arborist will assess the tree again tonight.
Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Rod Vickson told the Herald Sun that winds around Parkdale at the time of the incident “weren’t particularly strong”.
A 56kmh gust was recorded at Moorabbin Airport, less than 2km away, at 12.41pm minutes before the limb fell.
This tree limb fell on three St John Vianney’s schoolgirls, seriously injuring one, as they made their way out of mass today.
— Monique Hore (@moniquehore) November 12, 2019
Principal Shane Regan said the most-seriously injured pupil was conscious and talking, asking for her mum.
Details @theheraldsun: https://t.co/KkYzhTbQP7 pic.twitter.com/fmXwMRqRA4
It was the day’s strongest gust until about 4pm when another registered 59kmh.
“The winds that were around weren’t particularly strong,” Mr Vickson said.
“There has been some stronger gusts out the other side of the bay around Avalon — about 75-76kmh.”
The caretaker of the church, Marjorie Nicholas, told the Herald Sun that the tree had previously been lopped after some branches fell.
She believed this happened last year.
Ms Nicholas said she did not witness the incident because she was tidying the church after mass.
“I didn’t hear it. I came outside and could see all the commotion.
“They (the other students) were quite calm. They were sitting their with their teacher.”
Nearby resident June Wade said she walks her dog JJ under the tree every day.
“It’s shocking,” she said.
“You look at that big tree and think oh my.”
Mr Regan that he had explained to the students who witnessed the falling branch that it was a “freak accident”.
“We’ve has a number of talks already,” Mr Regan said.
“Everyone is aware of the situation and the children are fine with it at the moment. They’re all concerned for those who are injured.”
Mr Regan said the school had sent out messages to alert families.
Staff and students regularly attend the local church, just a few minutes walk down Brisbane Terrace, for school mass.
A WorkSafe officer arrived on the scene just after 4pm, with the area already cordoned off by police tape.
Kingston Council officers also attended.
The council is not responsible for the tree as it is on the parish’s private property and is not listed on Kingston’s Significant Tree Register.
“Kingston Council joins with our community in shock at this tragic accident,” the council’s city assets and environment general manager Bridget Draper said.
“Our thoughts are with the three injured children and their families.”
The incident follows several tragic deaths and near misses due to falling trees this year.
In August a nine-year-old girl came within inches of death when a tree fell on her mother’s car in the Dandenongs, near the Belgrave Puffing Billy railway bridge.
It was not far from where a father and son were tragically killed after a gum tree struck their car during strong winds at Sherbrooke, on July 14.
Angie Suryadi was killed after a tree fell on her car on the Black Spur highway in Fernshaw as her family embarked on a snow trip on August 9.
Her son, 4, was left fighting for life while her other son, 5, and husband were lucky to escape serious injury.
Respected academic Associate Professor and mother of two Allison Milner, 36, was also killed in a freak accident as she walked past Princes Park to work earlier this year. An Elm tree that was more than 100 years old crashed down on her as she walked on a footpath on her way to the University of Melbourne.