New Details In Tree That Collapsed On Middletown Halloween Party

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — Here are new details, plus a photo, of the incident where a tree fell down on a tent at an outdoor Middletown Halloween party last Friday night, sending three people to the hospital.

Two people were actually pinned by the tree when it fell onto the tent, according to the Middletown Fire Department, but they were able to be freed by the time police and firefighters got there.

But the injures "were significant," said Middletown Fire Dept. spokesman Dennis Fowler and one person had to be taken to the nearest trauma hospital, Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune.

This occurred on the 600 block of Cooper Road in the Navesink section of Middletown, where the homeowner had set up an outdoor tent for a Halloween party of about 60 people.

There were high winds and a storm Friday night, and the tree came down a little after 8 p.m. The homeowner called 911 to report that two people were actually trapped and pinned by the tree inside the tent, and a total of six people had been injured.

The approximately 60-80 foot-tall tree, 14 inches in diameter, had fallen into the center of the tent, according to Lieutenant Kevin Morrissey with the all-volunteer Middletown Fire Department.

Middletown Township Police Officer Brian McDonald, firefighters and Middletown EMS worked quickly to get the injured out of the tent. The tent had also been badly damaged and was in danger of collapsing.

"They wanted to get the victims out of that tent as fast as they could because there was a concern of more trees coming down," said Fowler. "It was extremely high winds that night."

Trees have come down on homes in the wooded Navesink and River Plaza sections of Middletown in the past, plus last summer at this home in Lincroft.

Three of the people were injured badly enough that they had to be taken to local hospitals: One to Jersey Shore and two others were transported to Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank. None of the injuries were life threatening, however.

Approximately 14 firefighters responded to the call from the Navesink and Middletown Township Fire Company No. 1.

Middletown Township EMS provided medical services to all victims. Twelve EMS providers from Fairview, Leonardo, Lincroft and Port Monmouth First Aid Squads and two ALS Units provided medical services.

Fowler also urged homeowners to identify which trees can come down in a wind storm and take preventative action. Initial Patch report: Tree Falls On Middletown Halloween Party; 4 Injured

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