Kelera Ditaiki 
Public safety in Wailoku, Suva was put at risk yesterday afternoon when a large tree fell onto a moving vehicle.
The incident blocked the area’s only access road.
The crash occurred around 5:30 pm, severely damaging a family car but leaving occupants unharmed.
A witness to the incident Aliyah Khan said one woman and two or three children were inside and the driver was visibly shaken, crying and trembling when they arrived.
“When I saw the people who were inside the car, there was I think one lady and I’m not sure about how many kids, but maybe two or three kids were inside the car. There was no physical injury, but I’m sure the driver was really shocked because she was crying and shaking when we saw her.”
The fallen tree also brought down live power lines, stopping traffic in both directions for nearly 30 minutes.
Emergency services reached the scene by 6:00 pm to clear the road and restore access.
Residents say incidents like this are common during heavy rain and strong winds.
Aliyah added that while some tree clearing has occurred recently, more action is needed to prevent accidents.
Locals have raised concerns about overgrown trees and the lack of alternative routes.
They are urging authorities to prioritize infrastructure upgrades and consider a secondary access road.
Power outages added to the disruption and residents said there was a need for preventative measures before another accident occurs.
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