Tree falls on five vehicles in SF's Golden Gate Park, roadway obstructed

SAN FRANCISCO - A large eucalyptus tree fell on five vehicles in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park on Monday, according to officials with San Francisco Fire Department. 

This happened at Crossover Drive and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The fire department was dispatched to the scene of the accident at 3:54 p.m. 

The fire department said 11 occupants of the vehicles, including children, are safe and that two people were evaluated for non-life threatening injuries. 

One of the vehicles in the northbound direction was damaged. 

Photo courtesy: San Francisco Fire Department 

The fire department began clearing the tree from the cars. As the evening wore on, officials said San Francisco Recreation and Park Department arborists were helping clear the tree so the affected cars could be towed. 

After about six hours of being closed and then partially closed, the roadway reopened in both directions just before 10 p.m. 

Lt. Jonathan Baxter with SF Fire Dept. said multiple 911 calls came in and first responders arrived within four minutes. He said the tree was more than 100-feet long. 

Photo courtesy: San Francisco Fire Department 

Sandy Yeung and her family saw the tree coming down right on top of their Tesla.  "I was in the car with my family and next thing you knew is this big tree with the lamppost came down in slow motion on us." She said they had a good vantage point because of the vehicle's glass roof. 

She said she was lucky and so was everyone else who came out more or less unscathed. "There was no blood, which was good," Yeung said. 

Rick We, Yeung's husband, was also surprised no one was seriously hurt. "I was surprised that the car held up."

After the cars were towed and the tree chopped up, city workers hauled off the debris with help from the fire department.  

"This could have turned out a lot worse and those emergency crews that got on scene in under four minutes would have been saving people's lives. So we want to thank those individuals who made those phone calls and who moved out of the way for our emergency workers to get on scene," Baxter said. 

Bay City News contributed to this report. 

Photo courtesy: San Francisco Fire Department 

Crews are working to remove a tree from vehicles in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. January 15, 2024. 

Crews are working to remove a tree from vehicles in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. January 15, 2024.