A 20-meter-high Christmas tree collapsed: three people died, a 63-year-old woman was crushed.

This Thursday, December 21, a terrible tragedy unfolded in the streets of Oudenaarde (Belgium). According to our colleagues RTBF, a 63-year-old woman died after being crushed by a twenty-meter tall Christmas tree. According to the first elements of the investigation, the tree fell due to strong winds in the evening. 3 found crushed by conifers. “The tree was strong, but there was unexpectedly heavy rain and a local wind speed of 6. As a result, the tree fell near a Christmas market where there were many people”, noted the mayor of Oudenaarde, Marnic De Meulemeester.

“The three people who were under the tree were taken to the hospital. One of the victims unfortunately died in the meantime,” explained the mayor. On site, emergency services tried to revive the 63-year-old woman, but to no avail. Two other victims suffered minor injuries.

According to several testimonies, the tree, reported by the Belgian press, collapsed a few days after its installation. “Ten minutes before the tree fell, we called the city's technical service to say we saw the tree moving,” a resident told the media. VRT NWS. “Everyone was affected by the serious incident. Our condolences go out to the family and friends of the victim. It is therefore logical not to reopen the Winter Village with its Christmas market and its attractions,” the mayor continued. The Florence public prosecutor's office sent teams to the site to make preliminary findings. An investigation has been initiated.