Central Park: Root System Decay Cause Of Tree Failure Injury

Manhattan

By Geoffrey Croft

Root system decay caused the massive American Elm tree to come crashing down on a family of four  on Tuesday in Central Park.

An inspection determined the tree fell over “as a result of decay in the root system beneath the surrounding pavement,”  according to the Central Park Conservancy,  the non-profit group responsible for tree maintenance in the iconic park.

 The group said the tree was last inspected in November.

“There were no visible signs of decay or disease,”  conservancy spokeswoman Jordan Jacuzzi said.

“The conservancy employs tree crews seven days a week who regularly inspect and maintain Central Park's nearly 20,000 trees according to industry standards,” she said.

On Tuesday morning Anne Monoky Goldman, 39, was out with her three young boys when the massive tree suddenly fell, pinning the family underneath.

The mother was listed in critical condition with a broken neck at New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center Wednesday, according to police sources.

Her 3-year-old son Grant suffered a fractured skull. His injuries are not expected to be life threatening.

Her two other sons, James 4 months, and Will, 4, received less serious injuries.

Yesterday a family visiting from Spain was struck by a fallen tree branch in City Hall Park.

On July 31st,  a tree fell over on top of a woman who was sitting on a bench in Joyce Kilmer Park in the Bronx.

Injuries by falling trees or tree limbs are fairly infrequent, according to internal Parks Department documents. 31 people were injured by falling trees or branches between 2011 and 2015 according to data obtained from a Freedom of Information Law request.

That number is dramatically different however from data compiled from the City's Comptroller's office.

Each year there are typically more than 100 notices of claim related to injuries from fallen trees or tree limbs each year, according to the Comptroller’s office.

Read More:

Central Park tree that fell on family had rotten roots, conservancy says
New York Daily News -  August 16, 2017 - By Thomas Tracy, Reuven Blau, Chelsia Rose Marcius

Central Park: Woman & Kids Struck By Massive Tree
A Walk In The Park - August 15, 2017 - By Geoffrey Croft

Tree Falls On Woman In Bronx Park While Sitting On Bench
A Walk In The Park - August 1, 2017 - By Geoffrey Croft