City staff remove tree whose branch struck woman in Trinity Bellwoods Park

Days after a woman was seriously injured by a tree branch that fell at Trinity Bellwoods Park, the City of Toronto confirmed the tree was removed for further analysis.

An arborist with two decades of experience, Tait Sala, tells CityNews the tree was a Siberian Elm and said the branch was narrow, long, and weakly attached, most likely leading to the breakage.

“You can see it’s a darker brown; that’s an indication of decay. That means there was a crack, an entry point where decay starts entering the tree,” explained Sala, who works with Cohen & Master Tree and Shrub Services in Thornhill, Ont.

“Trees are heavy — the branch that failed here was probably 4,000 to 5,000 pounds … branches can crush homes, cars, and strike a human; consequences can be deadly,” he added.

A woman suffered critical injuries when a tree branch fell on her on Tuesday evening. The damaged tree has been removed for further analysis, and officials have examined the surrounding trees. City crews could be seen Thursday, assessing trees in the area.

The same type of tree led to a fatality in Trinity Bellwoods in 2016 when a man was killed after a limb fell.

The city manages five million trees, hundreds inside Trinity Bellwoods. In a statement, the city said they remove any severely damaged trees and an imminent safety hazard to people.

Arborists say they’ve been busy this week after storms rolled through the region.

Sala said this is why annual inspections are essential, but added that there needs to be advanced methods — not just from the ground.

“That includes climbing in a tree or trying to gather scientific data. We use sonic-pass sound waves and detect hidden defects, including cracks, cavities, and care for the tree.”

The city says the typical maintenance is done regularly to keep an eye on these trees, including:

• Removing deadwood to limit possible food sources for damaging pests, limiting diseases and enhancing the overall health and safety of the tree.
• Crown balancing to maintain specific crown characteristics and to remove limbs that protrude past the standard crown shape.
• Crown reduction to maintain structural integrity and minimize risks of potential branch failure.
• Structural pruning to establish proper branching structure throughout a tree’s crown to enhance overall vitality and reduce future branch and tree failure.

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The public is also asked to report hazardous trees and branches to 311 to help city staff investigate and remove hazards.