On the afternoon of December 9, a decades-old yellow jujube tree suddenly collapsed in Wuxi County, Chongqing, injuring multiple people and drawing widespread attention.
Several online videos captured the scene – a wide area where people were selling vegetables, including potatoes and baby bok choy. A fallen tree surrounded by a crowd of people, some struggling to remove branches to rescue those trapped underneath.
According to a report by “Huashang Bao – Da Feng News”, the incident took place in the old city playground embankment of Wuxi County in Chongqing, not far from Cheng Xiang Primary School.
An eyewitness mentioned that the embankment was flat and spacious, with a yellow jujube tree that had been growing for decades, lush with leaves and branches. The incident occurred around 4 p.m. on December 9, when a group of people was playing cards under the tree, while others were selling vegetables nearby. For unknown reasons, the tree suddenly toppled over towards the crowd, causing injuries to those who couldn’t dodge in time, prompting others to rush in for rescue.
Reported by Guizhou TV’s “People’s Concern”, around 9 p.m. on December 9, staff from the Ninghe Subdistrict Office stated that nearby infrastructure was under reconstruction, and the tree was excavated from its side, potentially causing the tree’s roots to loosen and resulting in its collapse. Four citizens were injured and sent to the hospital for treatment, with one person sustaining severe injuries.
The incident quickly became a hot topic on social media platforms, sparking discussions among netizens.
User “Mush丶默幽” speculated: “This tree must have shown signs of tilting before collapsing, but nobody paid attention.”
User “飯貼次忒好” pointed out: “This tree was probably planted too shallow, with just a thin layer of soil covering its roots – it would have been strange if it didn’t fall!”
User “重啟2018” questioned the lack of protective measures during the official infrastructure reconstruction process.
These reactions highlight the concerns and opinions circulating online in response to the incident.