Overview
- A 30‑meter tree fell onto a group from the nearby Sternipark residential facility during strong gusts Sunday in a forest near Satrupholm in Mittelangeln, killing a 16‑year‑old, a 21‑year‑old, and her 10‑month‑old daughter.
- The fall pinned four people under the trunk, leaving an 18‑year‑old in surgery in Heide and now out of immediate danger as others sustained minor injuries.
- Police launched a death investigation and notified the state forestry service to assess whether high winds alone caused the fall or if the tree had hidden damage.
- The German Weather Service had forecast gusts of 55–65 km/h with local bursts near 80 km/h, conditions under which safety groups warn people to avoid forests because falling trees and branches can be deadly.
- Bild reported the fallen ash was marked for felling in autumn, a claim police have not confirmed.