An 11-year-old boy was killed and four students injured after a peepal (Ficus religiosa) tree fell on a private school in Maharashtra’s Chembur district, civic officials said.
The accident occurred at around 2.58 pm on Route 11 near Heritage Pride in Chembur, and the Mumbai Fire Brigade of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) was informed, who immediately rushed rescue teams to the spot.
The school bus was transporting 18 students from International High School in Tilak Nagar to their homes. Officials said five students had already gotten off at a previous stop, leaving 13 children on the bus when the tree collided with the bus.
According to officials, the bus driver, with the help of local residents, rescued the children before emergency personnel arrived at the scene. Officials said that five injured students were taken to Zain Hospital.
Hospital authorities later confirmed that four students were in a stable condition, while 11-year-old Vihaan Shrivastav succumbed to his injuries. He was pronounced dead at 4.23pm. Officials said one of the infected students remains under intensive care.
Shankar Bhosale, assistant commissioner of BMC’s M (West) zone, said the tree was about 70 years old and had undergone routine pruning in May. “The tree appears to be in good condition. At first glance, it appears that the roots have decomposed, leading to it being uprooted,” Bhosale said.
While BMC officials confirmed that the tree was inspected and pruned as part of routine maintenance, the exact cause of the collapse will be determined after a detailed investigation. The BMC opened an investigation into the incident.
This marks the second tree fall incident in Mumbai this month, renewing concerns over the safety of old roadside trees despite routine inspections by the BMC. It also renewed calls for a more comprehensive scientific assessment of ancient trees, especially during the monsoon, when saturated soil and strong winds increase the risk of them being uprooted.
Earlier this month, the nearly 50-year-old Elephant Earpod tree collapsed on the Elevated Nature Trail in Malabar Hill, damaging a portion of the boardwalk and forcing the civic body to temporarily close the popular attraction for repairs.
