Uprooted peepal tree at TNEB headquarters crushes 10 vehicles in Chennai
A driver sustained minor injuries after being trapped in a car when a decades-old tree fell during heavy rain on Monday.
A decades-old peepal tree uprooted at the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) headquarters in Chennai on Monday, damaging approximately 10 cars and two-wheelers. According to The New Indian Express, the incident occurred during heavy rain in a busy area of the premises near a canteen and parking facilities.
A car driver was trapped inside his vehicle as branches fell, resulting in minor injuries to his left arm. Emergency personnel rescued the man by breaking open the car door and transporting him to a hospital.
Ganesh, a car driver who witnessed the event, said he heard a loud noise and panicked as the tree began to uproot. He noted that TNEB staff and security personnel rushed to the spot to assist the trapped driver.
The Greater Chennai Police stated that the tree fell due to heavy rain. While the area is typically busy with association offices and parking, the location was relatively free of people at the time, which prevented further casualties.
Clearing operations were underway following the incident. One woman engineer working at the premises expressed emotional loss, stating she would water the tree every day before starting work.