Man injured by falling tree

Police blocked off the road in Gloucester Ave, Berwick this morning after a man was injured by a falling tree branch. Pics: GABRIELLA PAYNE 255933_03

By Gabriella Payne

A man was rushed to hospital on Friday morning after being hit by a falling tree branch in Berwick.

Emergency services were called to the accident on Gloucester Avenue just before 9am on Friday 29 October, and police quickly closed the road to traffic.

A spokesperson for Ambulance Victoria said that paramedics had been called to the scene after receiving “a report that a branch had fallen on a person”, in the wake of Melbourne’s bout of wild weather.

“Paramedics assessed a man, believed to be in his 20s, at the scene,” the spokesperson said.

“He had sustained injuries to his back and pelvis and was transported to The Alfred hospital in a stable condition.”

A spokesperson for The Alfred later confirmed that the man was under their care and remained in a stable condition.

Police officers at the scene said they believed the man had been out “clearing debris off the road” after tree branches had come down in the storm.

While he was cleaning up, police said that “another branch” had then fallen onto the man’s back.

The road was quickly cordoned off by police, so as to stop anyone else from potential injury, in case the tree dropped more limbs.

Police said that it had been a busy morning for emergency services throughout Melbourne’s south eastern suburbs, and they urged locals to be careful of falling branches as the clean up from the storm begins.