A young girl was pinned under a massive tree at a popular flea market in Fairfax on Sunday after fierce winds pushed it to its breaking point.
Shoppers at the Melrose Trading Post were startled when a large tree suddenly toppled over around 1 p.m. on the 7800 block of Melrose Avenue. Raul Reynoso, a regular at the flea market, caught the aftermath of the incident on his cellphone.
“I was maybe six feet from the tree enjoying my coffee and I heard this big ‘Whamp’ and I turned around and it was like in slow motion,” he said.
Video captured by Reynoso showed the large tree uprooted and on its side in between vendor tents. Various crates that were hit by the impact were scattered around the tree.
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Under the branches was a girl who was helped out from under the tree by a good Samaritan.
“She came out, she was like in shock,” Reynoso said. “I don’t even know how she came out of those branches.”
The girl was then taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. It is unclear how severe her injuries were.
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Vendors told NBC4 it was difficult to keep their merchandise in place due to the high winds.
“We were like tying things to the gate, we’re tying things with bungee cords like so the door doesn’t swing open,” said Grace Palma, who used sandbags to secure her clothing racks.
Sunday’s incident comes as the National Weather Service warns of gusty conditions in Southern California that have the potential to shut down the Grapevine.
