A powerful gust of wind brought down a large eucalyptus tree onto a minivan in Santa Clarita on Friday, but thankfully, the driver managed to survive the frightening incident.
The tree fell while the woman was inside her vehicle along McBean Parkway, just north of Magic Mountain Parkway, around 12:40 p.m., as reported by local authorities and witnesses.
The driver, who was heading north when the tree fell, sustained injuries and was subsequently taken to a hospital for treatment.
Witnesses described hearing a loud crack just before the tree hit the ground. “We felt it from about 100 to 150 feet away—the concrete shook,” one bystander recounted.
Another witness commented on the chaos following the fall, saying people scattered as they realized what had happened. They noted the driver was fortunate not to be in the right lane at the time, suggesting that if she had been, the outcome might have been far worse.
The incident prompted a response from the Los Angeles County Fire Department and local officials, who closed the northbound lanes of McBean Parkway. Crews with chainsaws were dispatched to clear the fallen tree, which had blocked all traffic in the area.
This event coincided with strong winds expected to reach speeds of up to 70 mph in the region on Friday.
