Pennsylvania

Tree Branch Falls on Father, Son at Neshaminy State Park

Officials rescued a father and his young son after a tree branch fell on top of them at Neshaminy State Park in Bensalem, Pennsylvania Saturday afternoon.

Officials say a family was having a picnic under a tree at the park, located on 3401 State Road, when a branch snapped and fell about 50 feet. The father heard a cracking sound, picked up his 4-year-old son and tried to get out of the way but the branch fell on top of both of them.

"Everybody was screaming," said Sonaida Fernandez, a witness. "Everybody was running to the tree."

The father and son were trapped underneath the branch until first responders arrived and freed them.

"There was one guy trying to help," said Juanita DiGiannantonio, another witness. "He took the tree off the guy. The tree was so heavy but he removed it but he told the man to stay still."

The father and son were both taken to Aria Torresdale Hospital where they are being treated for lacerations. Officials have not yet revealed their conditions.

Trees at Neshaminy State Park are normally surveyed after storms. Assistant Regional Park Manager Barbara Davey told NBC10 the tree limb seemed healthy after inspection and there was no forewarning.

"Trees fall all the time but we do our best to make sure that in our heavy day use areas that we inspect all the trees as much as we can," Davey said. "We will reinspect all the trees in the area. We do it over and over again."

The area of the park where the tree branch collapsed will remain closed off for the rest of the weekend until park rangers determine no one else is in danger.

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