Tree’s weakness hidden — report
Wharf damage delays hampers
The weakness that led to a giant tree crushing cars in an Auckland park and injuring a woman could not have been detected in standard testing.
An independent arborist’s report into the fallen cottonwood at Cornwall Park says the breakdown of the tree’s wood quality that led to the fall could not have been detected using standard tree assessment techniques.
Damage to the foot plate and lower root collar of the 30m tree combined with wet soil contributed to the fall.
The tree had been inspected in June last year by arborists as part of an annual audit and examination of more than 7000 trees in the park. It was assessed as having an annual harm risk of less than one in a million, with good health and no sign of instability.
Testing with a sound hammer did not highlight any acoustic anomalies.
Park director Michael Ayrton said all mature trees were assessed each year.
“We were deeply shocked by this fall, and well aware how traumatic it would have been for the people affected, and we are very grateful it did not cause serious physical injury.”
The park was commissioning a peer review of tree health processes to see if any changes were needed. Suspect trees would continue to be felled.
West Auckland woman Dallas Hargreaves, 72, was trapped when the tree toppled over four parked cars. She was dragged from her mangled car by off-duty police officer Sergeant Adrian Heffernan and treated for leg injuries in hospital. For video of the tree damage go to nzherald.co.nz Hundreds of hampers from Chrisco have been delayed after containers were held up because of the Kaikoura earthquake.
A spokeswoman for the Christmas hamper company, Vickie Martin, said 753 customers had been affected after the 7.8 magnitude quake damaged Wellington’s port.
This meant Chrisco couldn’t get two containers of stock on to the wharf, but assured customers the goods would arrive by Christmas.
“Because of that [the earthquake] ... we had to reschedule delivery.”
Martin said they advised all affected customers by text or phone that the new delivery date would be December 9.
If Chrisco was unable to deliver the goods in time for Christmas, customers would get a full refund.