Expert opinion is ready

Fallen tree was healthy before storm accident

During the storm at the beginning of July, parts of a tree fell on a mother and her daughter at Tummelplatz in Linz.(Bild: Matthias Lauber/laumat.at)

It was a terrible accident: at the beginning of July, tree limbs fell on a mother (41) and her nine-year-old daughter during a storm at Tummelplatz in Linz, seriously injuring them. The first results of the investigation are now available: The ginkgo was perfectly healthy and the accident was unforeseeable.

On July 6, a wild storm swept through the city center of Linz, where the Knights' Festival was taking place that day. At Tummelplatz, parts of a tree fell and hit several people. First and foremost a mother (41) and her nine-year-old daughter from Kremsmünster, who lay unconscious and seriously injured - the "Krone" reported in detail.

Expert opinion on tree ready
The incident has long been a matter for investigators - and the first results are now available: The expert opinion on the formerly 28-meter-high tree is ready. The ginkgo - which is privately owned on a property adjacent to the Tummelplatz - was healthy and in perfect condition, as Ulrike Breiteneder from the Linz public prosecutor's office explains: "According to the expert opinion, the failure of the tree was not foreseeable. It was also regularly maintained and checked."

Investigations continue
However, the investigation by the public prosecutor's office is not yet complete. In addition to the condition and proper care of the tree, it is also necessary to examine "whether the organizer should have taken action", says Breiteneder. The investigation is being carried out on suspicion of negligent bodily harm; in the event of a conviction, there is a risk of up to six months in prison or a fine.