Recent rains caused a scary incident in Alameda on Friday when a tree fell on a man and seriously injured him during a high school softball game.
The man, who was identified only as a parent of one of the players, was watching a game involving Encinal High School at Washington Park in Alameda. He is in stable condition at a local hospital, officials said.
The the city now is taking new steps to keep the park safe. The Parks and Rec Department says it is working to make sure it doesn’t happen again..
Parents who bring their kids to Washington Park said they heard about the tree falling and hitting a parent, and they're wary.
"It's scary that it did fall down," parent Abby Rauber said. "Because I heard the soil wasn't too great and loose, and that's what caused the incident."
Parks and rec crews spent Monday afternoon cleaning up what remains of the tree. Encinal High made counselors available on campus Monday.
"It was the father of one of our softball players, so we feel very badly for this family and all the team members who witnessed this event," said Susan Davis, spokeswoman for the Alameda Unified School District.
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The city also removed another tree from the nearby hillside out of an abundance of caution, saying it wants to make sure people feel safe gathering there.
"I have confidence that Alameda will take care of the trees," parent Kate Weglarz said. "There are lots of pretty trees here; it's a beautiful place."
The man remained hospitalized in stable condition Monday.
