Updated, Aug. 16, 11:36 a.m.: The mother and her three children who were injured by a falling tree in Central Park Tuesday have been identified.
Anne Monoky Goldman was pushing her two older sons, ages 3 and 4, in a double stroller while her 41-day-old infant son was strapped to her chest when a tree collapsed on top of them on West Drive near 62nd Street.
All four were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injures at New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. While her children suffered scrapes and bruises, Goldman’s injuries were critical, and she was in and out of consciousness, the New York Daily News reported.
An eyewitness told the paper that chainsaws were used to remove Goldman from underneath the tree, which had fallen so forcefully it was completely uprooted from the ground.
The Central Park Conservancy, which maintains all trees within the park, has not yet said what might have caused the tree to topple, but told Metro on Tuesday that crews were inspecting nearby trees “for health and safety.”
The agency did not respond to requests for further details regarding what such an inspection entails or if inspections in other parts of the park would now occur.
Original story, Aug. 16, 12:19 p.m.: A woman and three children were injured after a tree fell on them in Central Park Tuesday morning, city officials said.
The victims, whose identities have not yet been released, were inside the park on West Drive at 62nd Street when an elm tree collapsed onto the roadway around 10 a.m.
West Drive at 62nd Steet is closed to vehicles, pedestrians & bicycles due to a fallen tree. Please find alternate routes. @CentralParkNYC pic.twitter.com/BIiNigEQUs
— NYPD Central Park (@NYPDCentralPark) August 15, 2017
“Crews have mobilized immediately to clear the tree and investigate the incident,” the NYC Parks & Recreation Department said in a statement.
The four victims were taken by ambulance to New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, where they are all in serious condition with non-life threatening injuries, the FDNY told Metro just after noon Tuesday.
All trees in the park are maintained by the Central Park Conservancy, the Parks Department said, adding that “crews are immediately inspecting trees in the vicinity for safety.”
The Conservancy said in an email that workers are checking the trees “for health and safety” but did not offer further details about what that entails or what caused the elm tree to topple in the first place.
What to do if you see a damaged tree in New York City
Despite being the most populous area of the country, New York City is also home to roughly 30,000 acres of land that includes parks, beaches, gardens and Greenstreets.
That obviously includes a whole lot of trees that fall under the jurisdiction of city agencies like the Parks Department or Central Park Conservancy, but what happens if you see a damaged tree in the city proper?
You follow that safety adage of “If you see something, say something,” of course, and here’s how — and when — to make the call, according to the Parks Department.
Who to contact: 311 or visit nycgovparks.org/services/forestry.
Alert them if you see:
• A tree branch or limb that is cracked, fallen or looks like it might fall
• A tree trunk that has split
• A tree that is leaning, fallen or has been uprooted
• A tree that is in declining or poor condition
Once you make a report, you will be given a tracking number and details about how it will be addressed.
A parks inspector will then visit the tree to gauge its condition and the best plan of action, and forestry staff will be deployed as necessary.
