MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — The woman who was killed by a fallen tree late Thursday after a heavy storm blew into the region was a volunteer with the county's fire department.
"It's one of our own volunteers, in fact. So we, too, are grieving at this loss to our community — one of the local volunteer fire department's leadership role," Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson Pete Piringer said in a video.
The woman was not publicly identified by Piringer as the family had asked for privacy.
The fatal incident took place just before 9 p.m. on the Matthew Henson Trail in the Aspen Hill area. At the time, authorities had been alerted to the scene after receiving calls about a woman pinned under a tree.
Although first responders were able to locate the woman, she was pronounced dead at the scene. Piringer described her injuries as "traumatic."
An investigation into the incident is being carried out by the Montgomery County division of the Maryland National Capital Park Police and the Montgomery County Police Department.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Silver Spring, MD Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.