A tragic incident occurred in City Heights on Christmas Eve when a man was fatally struck by a falling tree limb, as reported by San Diego authorities. The accident took place at approximately 10:55 a.m. on the corner of Marlborough Avenue and Wightman Street. The victim, unfortunately, succumbed to his injuries at the scene, according to San Diego Union-Tribune.
The San Diego Fire-Rescue responders found the man pinned under the massive tree section that had collapsed. Efforts by family members to extricate him were unsuccessful. Firefighters and police officers managed to remove the man from under the debris and rendered medical assistance, but he could not be saved, detailed San Diego Fire-Rescue Captain Jason Shanley. Along with local police, city arborists were called to safely dismantle the remains of the tree, which had split into three large pieces. The incident was part of a series of weather-related emergencies in the city, though this was the only one with a fatality involved, added Shanley in statements reported by both NBC 7 San Diego and the Union-Tribune.
Residents nearby expressed concerns about the safety of the tree prior to the incident. Zenaida Rodriguez, who is the victim's daughter-in-law, revealed that the family had previously lodged complaints to the city about the tree's condition. "We've been complaining to the city about this tree … they've been living here more than five years, and we've been complaining about the tree," Rodriguez told NBC 7 San Diego. Her family had plans to gather for the holiday before her relative met with the tragic incident. Emotionally, she lamented the need to deliver such grim news on a festive evening, questioning the city's response to their earlier concerns.
Weather conditions at the time of the accident were severe with wind advisories in effect warning of gusts up to 45 mph. The strong winds led to multiple incidents throughout San Diego, including power outages and other fallen trees. The San Diego International Airport was under an Airport Weather Warning for gusts reaching 30 knots or greater. Despite these conditions, it is not confirmed that the wind caused the tree to fracture and strike the man, as per reports from the San Diego Union-Tribune and NBC 7 San Diego. An investigation into the precise cause of the incident is currently underway.
