26-12-2023 (OUENAARDE) In an incident captured by CCTV footage, a 66-foot Christmas tree collapsed at a market in Oudenaarde, Belgium, during the onslaught of Storm Pia. The unfortunate event resulted in the death of a 63-year-old woman on Thursday evening.
The brightly adorned tree, illuminated for the festive season, was seen in the footage gradually leaning and eventually toppling over in the market square as Storm Pia wreaked havoc on the city.
Three women were reported injured in the incident, with one of them sustaining life-threatening injuries. The critically injured woman was rushed to the hospital but tragically succumbed to her injuries.
Storm Pia, which battered the UK and the Netherlands, also had its impact felt in western Belgium, leading to the fateful incident in Oudenaarde. Authorities are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the tree collapse. A spokesperson for the Oost-Vlaanderen province prosecutor stated that the investigation would focus on determining whether the tree had been adequately secured and assess the influence of the adverse weather conditions.
The incident serves as a grim reminder of the potential dangers posed by severe weather conditions during the holiday season. Authorities are diligently examining the details to ascertain the cause of the tragedy and to implement measures that prevent similar incidents in the future.
