8 Children Injured As 70-Foot-Tall Pine Tree Falls At Kidspace Park In Pasadena

PASADENA (CBSLA.com) — Eight children were injured, two critically, when a 70-foot-tall pine tree unexpectedly fell near the Kidspace Children's Museum in Pasadena Tuesday.

Pasadena Fire Department personnel and Pasadena police officers were called to a park near the museum, located on 480 North Arroyo Boulevard, shortly before 5 p.m.

Pasadena Fire spokesperson Lisa Derderian told CBS2/KCAL9 eight victims aged 5-9 suffered blunt force trauma when the 75-year-old pine fell on the grounds.

Two of those victims, a young boy and young girl, were transported in critical condition. Six suffered minor injuries, Derderian said.

The kids were part of a day camp at the facility and were just being released for the day to their parents and guardians when the tree fell, officials say.

The base of the tree was completely uprooted in the fall and had been de-branched while crews searched for additional victims.

CBS2/KCAL9 spoke with parents and guardians at the scene, as well as 7-year-old Vincent Lim, who cried as he remembered being struck.

"The tree [fell] down and I bumped into a tree," the boy said.

"It was terrible," Klea Scott added. "They were just — the teachers, the camp workers — they were just freaking out ... You leave your kid with somebody for the day and you take this group to the museum. You don't expect a tree to fall over on your kids," she said.

An independent arborist is expected to investigate what caused the tree to fall.

In a statement to CBS2/KCAL9, a spokesperson for Kidspace wished everyone involved a speedy recovery.