An incident in Upper Houghton on the morning of January 28 disrupted Peter Road after a tree collapsed onto a vehicle, following a rubbish fire that weakened its trunk.

According to Ward 73 ward committee member Daniel Kalyan, who was the first responder at the scene, the tree fell shortly after someone set rubbish alight at its base.

Read more: UPDATE: JRA identifies a cause for collapse of North Street

“I was the first responder. The tree fell after the trunk was set alight by people burning rubbish,” said Kalyan. “We have a constant fight with people about burning rubbish near trees.”

Emergency services were dispatched to the area, and motorists were advised to avoid Peter Road or proceed with caution as delays were expected.

While the incident caused concern among residents and road users, no injuries were reported.

Also read: Tree falls on car

Kalyan stressed that the situation could easily have resulted in serious harm, given the regular traffic and pedestrian movement along the road.
The incident has once again drawn attention to the ongoing problem of illegal rubbish burning in residential areas, which poses risks to public safety, property and the environment.

Residents are encouraged to dispose of waste responsibly and to report unsafe practices before they lead to further incidents.

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