First victims of 2024 celebrations… Christmas tree kills woman
A woman in Belgium died after a 20-meter-tall Christmas tree fell on her at a Christmas tree market, according to local media reports.
The Belgian news agency “Belga” reported that a massive pine tree at a Christmas market in the city of Audenarde, about 50 kilometers west of the capital Brussels, couldn’t withstand strong winds on Thursday evening.
The tree fell on three people, and one of them died shortly afterward in the hospital due to severe injuries. It is still unclear whether safety measures regarding the festively decorated giant Christmas tree were followed or not.
Video footage showed the tree swaying significantly due to the strong winds before it fell. The mayor of Audenarde, Marnic De Meulemeester, was quoted by local media as saying that heavy rain and strong winds reaching the sixth level led to the tree’s collapse. The incident site was cordoned off, and authorities have initiated an investigation.
