A large tree branch came crashing down onto the football field at Katherine Edwards Middle School on Friday afternoon, injuring 12 people as powerful Santa Ana winds tore through the San Gabriel Valley. The branch fell around 2:05 p.m. on the 6800 block of Norwalk Boulevard; one of the 12 injured people was taken to a hospital.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, whose district includes the Whittier campus, issued a statement about the incident. As reported by NBC Los Angeles, the Los Angeles County Fire Department reported that 12 people were injured and one was taken to a hospital. Hahn posted a photo of the fallen limb on X and said all of the victims were children, though their ages were not provided.
In her statement, Hahn thanked county firefighters, sheriff's deputies, and school staff for responding quickly and caring for the injured, and she offered prayers for every injured child and their family. According to MyNewsLA.com, Hahn specifically praised the rapid emergency response by the agencies that converged on the campus.
A Dangerous Wind Event Across the County
The branch failure happened as a powerful Santa Ana wind event swept across Los Angeles County, prompting the National Weather Service in Los Angeles/Oxnard to issue Red Flag Warnings and Wind Advisories. Per KEYT, forecasters warned that high winds could blow down tree limbs and cause power outages through Friday and Saturday.
Katherine Edwards Middle School declined to comment on the incident, and NBC Los Angeles said it reached out to the Whittier City School District but had not received a response. The campus, officially known as Katherine Edwards Middle School STEAM & Dual Immersion Academy, is listed in California Department of Education records. The district operates nine elementary schools and two middle schools: Katherine Edwards and Walter F. Dexter.
What California Law Says About School Liability
Under California Government Code Section 835, a public school district can be held legally liable for injuries caused by a dangerous condition on its property if the district created the hazard through negligence or had actual or constructive notice of the danger in time to act, according to Justia Law. State law also requires anyone seeking to sue a public entity over such an injury to first file an administrative government claim within six months.
Tree trimming and removal are among the ways school grounds can be maintained to address falling-branch risks. Structural integrity and public safety are important considerations for school facilities and athletic grounds, where large groups of students gather.
Echoes of Past Tree Collapses in the Region
Falling trees and limbs can pose hazards to children outdoors.
High winds can create hazardous conditions around trees.
Facility conservation and site maintenance are ongoing considerations for school campuses. Whether the district had recently inspected trees surrounding its athletic fields remains unknown, and it has not responded to requests for comment from NBC Los Angeles about the branch failure.
