ST. GEORGE — Part of a large cottonwood tree fell on a car parked along Bloomington Drive Sunday evening.
A portion of the tree’s trunk snapped during a period of high winds at around 8 p.m., said Dave Hardy, who lives across the street from where it fell.
Hardy said he was outside in his front yard at the time when he heard thunder and saw part of the tree come crashing down a “split second later.”
Several other nearby neighbors said they also heard a loud cracking noise as the wood came down in a sea of green.
The tree, situated in the yard of the Bloomington Gardens homeowners association, landed on an unoccupied passenger car parked near where Bloomington Drive intersects with Chaparral Drive. The car appeared to have sustained some body damage.
Hardy said he immediately called 911, and responding emergency personnel cordoned off the area to passersby.
St. George Fire Battalion Chief Darren Imlay said the remaining portion of the tree was at risk of falling on nearby homes. He said the entire tree would need to be cut down in order to remove the danger.
Responding firemen and crews from St. George City Streets went to work cutting away the fallen portion of the tree with chainsaws.
A St. George Police officer directed traffic around the tree, which covered a portion of the northbound lane.
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Are there any protocols in place as to how large a tree may be within the city? There are some “monsters” in the city that would cause significant damage/injury if they were fallen by wind – or too heavy to sustain it’s own weight as well as being diseased. As well, there are many trees and scrubs that obscure vision of motorists at intersections/round-about locations and also block signage. Many of these situations are, I believe, the responsibility of St. George City – others, private property owners.
Just curious.