VASCO
A routine morning commute turned tragic when a huge roadside tree suddenly came crashing down onto the busy Matve–Dabolim–Vasco road on Wednesday morning, killing a 62-year-old scooter rider and leaving another motorcyclist with minor injuries.
The deceased has been identified as Francisco Nunes of Jetty-Sada.
The incident occurred at around 8.30 am, triggering panic among commuters and bringing traffic on the busy stretch to a complete standstill.
According to preliminary information, both Nunes and Nilesh Gaude (37) of Bandora, Ponda, were travelling towards Vasco when the mishap occurred. Gaude was riding ahead of Nunes when the massive roadside tree suddenly uprooted and crashed onto the road.
Gaude narrowly escaped what could have been a fatal accident. Although a portion of the falling tree brushed against him, he managed to continue ahead before realising what had happened behind him. Moments later, the main trunk of the tree came crashing down directly onto the scooter ridden by Nunes, trapping both the rider and his two-wheeler beneath its enormous weight.
Nunes sustained grievous injuries in the impact and succumbed to them. Gaude suffered minor injuries and was administered first aid before being sent for further medical treatment.
The incident caused chaos on the busy road as shocked motorists immediately alerted the authorities. Personnel from the Fire and Emergency Services, along with police and other emergency agencies, rushed to the spot and launched a rescue and clearance operation. Using chainsaws and other equipment, firefighters worked to cut and remove the massive tree from the roadway. After considerable effort, the obstruction was cleared and traffic movement was gradually restored.
The body of Nunes was later shifted for medico-legal formalities while police initiated inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The exact cause of the tree collapse is yet to be ascertained. Authorities are expected to examine whether the condition of the tree, recent weather conditions or any other factors contributed to the tragedy.
The incident has once again raised concerns over the condition of ageing roadside trees along busy arterial roads, with commuters calling for regular inspections and timely pruning or removal of hazardous trees to prevent similar accidents in the future.
Further investigation into the incident is in progress.
