Now to be felled

Tree hit mother: fungal infestation could be to blame

Two trees fell on the Rodl, injuring a woman.(Bild: Dostal Harald)

Two 15-metre-high ash trees fell on the River Rodl in Gramastetten and hit a mother (44) on a swimming trip. Experts are now examining the trees in the area. Investigations into the devastating storm in Linz are also still ongoing; the girl (9) who was hit by parts of a gingko is still in intensive care.

The other bathers were able to get to safety just in time, but a 44-year-old mother from Altenberg was reportedly caught by two 15-metre-high ash trees falling over on the Rodl in Gramastetten on Sunday. She had to be taken to hospital as an outpatient. Her daughter (7) remained unharmed.

Two trees are felled
The accident happened on the private property of a forest owner. Nevertheless, Mayor Andreas Fazeni (ÖVP) is now checking with an expert "whether there is any danger from other trees" - the public Rodlbad swimming pool is right next door. "We have decided that two trees will be felled for safety reasons. For five or six, we'll wait until the winter," says the mayor afterwards.

The possible cause could be a fungal infestation, which is difficult to detect on the outside of ash trees. However, investigations into the actual cause of the accident are still ongoing.

We are checking the area of the Rodlwald forest with an expert to see whether there is any danger from other trees.

Andreas Fazeni (ÖVP), Bürgermeister von Gramastetten

Girl still in intensive care
A tree expert is also at work in Linz. His task is to clarify whether the gingko tree that fell during a storm on July 6 as part of the Knights' Festival had been adequately cared for. The seriously injured girl (9) is still in the children's intensive care unit two weeks later.

Owners must check trees
Stand-alone trees, such as the gingko in Linz, are generally subject to stricter duties of care than forest stands such as the one in Gramastetten. Depending on the condition and location of the tree, owners must check it about once a year according to the Chamber of Agriculture, and more often in dangerous places such as next to playgrounds.