SINGAPORE: At least five people, including two children, were injured on Saturday (Feb 11) after a massive Tembusu tree toppled at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, interrupting an event organised by the High Commission of Canada that was scheduled to start at 5pm.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they were alerted to the incident near the Symphony Stage at 4.25pm and conveyed five people to the National University Hospital.
Eyewitness Jonathan Ang, who was there for the concert, said he was sitting at the open area away from most of the trees.
“Suddenly we heard a cracking sound, like thunder,” he said.
Across the main path, a tree fell “within five seconds”, taking another tree beside it down with it.
“There were easily a hundred of us that rushed forward to help push the branches, the logs away,” he added, estimating that there were about four to six people under the “huge” tree when it fell.
Mr Ang said that thankfully, there were not many people sitting in the area as it was under the sun. Most of those nearby also appeared to be unharmed – “except for one poor woman, I’m not sure if she made it … She was unconscious and her husband was calling for her.”
SCDF arrived within about five minutes, and paramedics appeared to be trying to resuscitate the woman, he added.
A note posted on the Canada High Commission’s Twitter account at 5.18pm said the Canada 150 concert had been cancelled due to “unforeseen circumstances”.
When Channel NewsAsia arrived at the scene at about 5.45pm, police were seen on the site and the area had been cordoned off.
(Photo: Wendy Wong)
More than 20 workers were also seen clearing the branches from the toppled tree at about 6.15pm.
SCDF added that it is working with NParks personnel in the search operation.
