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Fallen tree hurts eight children outside California museum

By Tomas Monzon
A tree feel near a children's museum in California on July 28 and hurt eight children. Photo courtesy of the Pasadena Fire Department/Twitter
A tree feel near a children's museum in California on July 28 and hurt eight children. Photo courtesy of the Pasadena Fire Department/Twitter

PASADENA, Calif., July 29 (UPI) -- A 70-foot pine tree outside a children's museum in Pasadena tumbled down Tuesday evening and injured eight children, two critically.

Kitchen staff, parents, camp counselors and museum staff from the Kidspace Children's Museum rushed outside to move branches out of the way in order to rescue the kids from under the tree, which tumbled down at 4:50 p.m.

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Two children were rushed to the hospital in critical condition. The eight children were enrolled in the museum's summer camp, which is hosting 33 campers this week between the ages of 5 to 9. The tree, albeit adjacent to the museum entrance, is actually within the boundaries of Brookside Park, a 62-acre public facility.

The Pasadena Fire Department confirmed that the children injured were between six to eight years old and that the tree was 75 years old.

An independent arborist was scheduled to examine the tree on Wednesday and inspect its root system. No diseases were found on the tree following its fall, meaning the cause of the accident remains unknown.

A local arborist, however, says root disease, fugus, wind and damage to the tree from California's ongoing drought may have played a role. However, City Manager Michael Beck said that the area surrounding the park has not been subject to strict water conservation measures and has been watered regularly.

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The drought has been blamed for killing as many as 14,000 trees throughout Southern California and in Los Angeles parks. Scientists say the death of so many trees can lead to higher temperatures, disrupted animal habitats and lessened water retention.

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