By KATHRYN BERMINGHAM
THE Patch community is in mourning after a two-year-old toddler was killed when a tree fell and struck a house on View Road.
Tragedy struck about 9pm during a severe storm on Saturday, 28 February, while seven people were inside the double-storey home.
The immense impact of the tree left four people trapped, including the two-year-old boy.
Police took between 30 and 90 minutes to free the other three people, however, by 10.30pm the boy still had not been located.
Later, it was confirmed he had died in his cot.
Sargent David McIlfatrick, who attended the scene, said the boy was located much closer to the point of impact than the rest of the family.
“The bedroom was very close to where the tree hit and there was significant damage in that area,” he said.
“We believe he would have died almost instantly.”
The rescue was a joint effort between the CFA, MFB, SES and paramedics, in the midst of rain and harsh winds.
Inside the house were the child’s grandparents, mother and father.
There was also the child’s 13-year-old brother and five-year-old sister, who were taken to the Royal Children’s Hospital in a serious condition with abdominal injuries.
The grandparents and 13-year-old boy were the other occupants who were rescued.
By Monday, floral tributes on the site were growing, while much of the tree had been removed.
Locals and the media were on the scene to survey the damage.
Responding to reports that the tree had fallen from land owned by the council, Sargent McIlfatrick said that details were still being investigated.
“There’s an ongoing investigation into the circumstances of the incident,” he said.
“It’s obviously tragic for everyone involved.”
A report will be prepared for the coroner.
