Two children killed by falling trees in park playground

A seven-year-old girl and two-year-old boy died Thursday afternoon after two trees fell on them in the playground of Parque de La Paz on Av. Remigio Crespo. After firefighters pulled them from the debris, the children were taken to Vicente Corral Moscoso Hospital where they died shortly afterward.

The scene in Cuenca’s Parque de la Paz shortly after two children were killed by the falling trees.

Cuenca Mayor Cristian Zamora, who arrived at the scene while rescue workers looked for other victims, called the accident “a terrible, freak occurrence” and offered support to the children’s parents. “I am heartbroken by what happened and my thoughts and prayers are with the children’s parents and family,” he said.

According to officials responsible for park maintenance, the eucalyptus trees that fell appeared to be in good health and showed no signs of disease. They added that the weather was good at the time of the accident, and winds were light.

“Employees of EMAC, which is responsible for the municipal parks, conducts routine checks of trees and other vegetation in public spaces and observed nothing to indicate a problem,” the city said in a statement. An EMAC official noted that the two trees shared a common root ball, explaining why they fell together.

The falling trees took down several electric cables, briefly interrupting power service to nearby neighborhoods.