Trees! They are the lungs of the planet. We need them but they don't need us. Here are a few people who were killed by trees. Whether by falling on people or by mishaps during trimming or family disputes over them, trees can be just as deadly as they are life-giving.
Hi, my name has been with held. I am a 51-year-old man from Sampaloc. A van owner asked me to trim the dried leaves off a coconut tree so they wouldn’t fall on his parked vehicle. Four other guys had already turned the job down. I climbed up with a rope. Moments later I lost my balance, hit my head on the concrete, and died. The ambulance took nearly an hour. The van owner and the tree owner later offered to pay for my wake and burial. My wife said we were supposed to have lunch together that day.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2025/2/6/man-dies-after-falling-from-tree-he-was-trimming-in-sampaloc-manila |
A 51-year-old man died after falling from a coconut tree that he was trimming on Honradez Street in Sampaloc, Manila.
According to officials of Barangay 437, the victim was asked by a van owner to trim the dried leaves from the tree to prevent them from falling onto his parked van.
In closed-circuit television footage, the van owner moved his vehicle forward to make room for the victim to do his task.
The victim was seen adjusting his rope as he climbed the tree to begin cutting the leaves.
Moments later, the victim suddenly fell, hitting his head on the ground.
Barangay authorities stated that the victim was still alive after the fall, but it took nearly an hour for the emergency vehicle to arrive, delaying his transport to the hospital.
They said the owners of the van and the tree owner have agreed to cover the costs of the victim's wake and burial.
Hi, my name is Vilma. I evacuated to my cousin’s place the onslaught of severe tropical storm "Opong". While we were sleeping, a coconut tree collapsed onto the house and killed me.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2025/09/26/woman-killed-by-falling-coconut-tree |
A woman died after a coconut tree fell on a house in Purok 3, Barangay Malajog, Tinambacan District, Calbayog City, during the onslaught of severe tropical storm "Opong" Friday.
A report filed by the Calbayog City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) Rescue Team with the Calbayog City Police Station (CPS) said the incident occurred at approximately 3 a.m.
Initial investigation revealed that alias “Vilma” evacuated to her cousin’s live-in partner's residence around 7 p.m. on Thursday as a precautionary measure against the typhoon.
While they were asleep, an adjacent coconut tree collapsed onto the house, fatally striking Vilma.
Vilma’s body was taken to Bornec Funeral Services. Police are coordinating with the City Health Office for a post-mortem examination.
Hi, our names are Alberto Anoche Bueno, Jean Andrea Bueno Pena, Alvin del Mundo Pena, Nazareth Eussef Bueno Pena, and Noeh Isaiah Bueno Pena. We were asleep in our house made of light materials when a giant buri palm tree, one that people had already tried to burn down, toppled during the storm and crushed us. Well did except for the eldest son, who was near the door. He tried to pull us out but said the tree was too big.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2025/10/19/family-of-5-killed-as-tree-topples-hits-house-in-quezon |
A family of five was killed when a buri palm tree fell on their house while they were sleeping at the height of tropical cyclone "Ramil" in Barangay Cawayanin, Pitogo town, Quezon province on Sunday morning, Oct. 19.
Police identified the victims as Alberto Anoche Bueno, 66; Jean Andrea Bueno Pena, 35; Alvin del Mundo Pena, 35; Nazareth Eussef Bueno Pena, 11, and Noeh Isaiah Bueno Pena, five-months-old.
Nazareth and Noeh were the children of Jean and Alvin and Alberto was the father of Jean.
Investigation said the victims were sleeping inside their house made of light materials when a big burned buri palm tree suddenly toppled and crushed them.
They died on the spot, police said.
The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council extracted the victims' bodies.
The victims' house was totally destroyed.
The couple's eldest child survived and is now receiving assistance from authorities.
Hi, my name has been withheld but I am a 40-year-old woman from Sulu. During heavy rains an acacia tree fell on top of the tricycle in which I was riding or standing near or driving or something. Anyway, I died.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2025/10/23/woman-killed-5-hurt-as-2-trees-topple-in-sulu |
A 40-year-old woman was killed while five others were injured after they were hit by two acacia trees that toppled at the height of heavy rains on Wednesday, Oct. 22, in Barangay San Raymundo, Jolo, Sulu.
Alhakin Alpapara, chief of the Barangay San Raymundo Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council, said the first tree collapsed at around 11 a.m., hitting a tricycle passenger and the victim who later succumbed to her injuries.
At 1 p.m., part of the San Raymundo barangay hall was hit by another acacia tree, injuring four more persons.
Emergency responders quickly transported the victims to a hospital. The five injured victims are reported to be in stable condition.
Hi, my name is Winche Baño. I was a 21-year-old cum laude graduate on my way to a review class with my father on the motorcycle. A huge branch from a long-dead fire tree snapped, shattered my helmet, and killed me. My father only got minor injuries. If only the barangay had gotten rid of this known hazard of which "it was only a matter of time before the branch gave way" I'd still be alive.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2026/07/11/falling-tree-branch-kills-cum-laude-graduate-in-abra |
A falling tree branch killed a 21-year-old cum laude graduate bound for a review class in Barangay Siblong here on Tuesday, July 7.
Police identified the victim as Winche Baño, a Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in Science graduate of the University of Abra-Lagangilang Campus.
Investigation said Baño and her father were riding a motorcycle near a when a huge branch from a fire tree suddenly snapped and crashed onto them.
Police said the victims were wearing helmets, but the impact shattered Winche’s helmet and sustained fatal head injuries. Her father suffered only minor injuries.
Police Capt. Miguel Cawi Jr., chief of the Bucay Municipal Police Station, said the fire tree had long been dead and leafless and was vulnerable to collapse. “The tree was already weakened, and it was only a matter of time before the branch gave way,” Cawi said.
Baño was taken to a hospital where she was declared dead.
Friends and classmates mourned the death of the aspiring teacher who was described as a consistent honor student.
Authorities were urged to inspect and remove hazardous roadside trees to prevent similar tragedies.
Hi, my name is Anton. My nephew Wiwi was cutting some trees on my property when I told him to stop and threatened him if he continued. We got into a very heated argument. He came back later with a bolo and hacked me to death. My brother found me later in the morning.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2026/06/21/man-hacked-dead-by-nephew-over-cut-trees |
A 55-year-old man was allegedly hacked to death by his teenage nephew due to cut trees in Barangay Minoyan, Murcia, Negros Occidental on Tuesday, June 16.
The body of the victim Anton was found in his house by his younger brother when he visited him on Wednesday, June 17.
Investigation showed that the victim and the suspect Wiwi had a heated argument about the trees reportedly cut by Wiwi.
The victim allegedly threatened the suspect if he continues to cut trees. The suspect, armed with a bolo, returned to the victim's house, waited for him, and killed him.
The victim’s younger brother reported the incident to the police in neighboring Don Salvador Benedicto in Negros Occidental.
Police arrested the suspect in a pursuit operation.
The victim's family decided not to file any charges against the suspect.
Hi, my name is the eight-year-old boy in Sagay City. I had just come home from school. A decades-old buri tree with almost no living roots left suddenly collapsed onto our house. I was inside browsing on my phone. Rescuers took hours to free me. I didn’t make it.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2026/08/06/toppled-palm-tree-kills-8-year-old-boy |
An eight-year-old boy was killed after their house was hit by a fallen palm tree in Purok Fire Tree, Barangay Bulanon, Sagay City, Negros Occidental on Wednesday, Aug. 5.
Investigation said the victim was browsing on a phone inside the house along with his mother and female twin sibling when they heard the sound of cracking branches.
A large palm tree 10 meters away from their house suddenly toppled and hit their home.
The victim failed to get out and the palm tree struck his head. His mother and twin sibling managed to escape.
The victim was taken to a hospital where he was declared dead.
Police said the tree measured approximately 60 feet in length, was nearly 60-years-old, and may have collapsed due to deteriorating roots.
Hi, I am an unnamed the motorcycle rider. While driving down Don Quijote Street in Manila strong winds and rain brought a tree down on me. I was immediately assisted by responders and taken to the hospital. The road stayed blocked while they cut the tree apart.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2026/08/09/motorcycle-rider-hurt-after-tree-falls-on-him-in-manila |
A motorcycle rider was injured after a tree fell on him along Don Quijote Street in Sampaloc, Manila, on Sunday night, August 9, as strong winds and heavy rains swept through the city.
The rider was traversing the road when the tree suddenly collapsed, striking both him and his motorcycle.
He was immediately assisted by responders and brought to a nearby hospital by ambulance for medical attention.
Firefighters responded to the scene and began cutting and clearing the fallen tree to reopen the affected portion of the road.
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) coordinated with the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) and the Manila City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department (MCDRRMD) for the removal and hauling of debris.
As of Sunday night, Don Quijote Street remained impassable to vehicles while clearing operations were ongoing.
Motorists were advised to avoid the area and take alternate routes.
The incident occurred amid strong winds and continuous rains affecting Manila, prompting authorities to heighten monitoring in areas prone to flooding and falling trees.
Despite the weather disturbance, no power outages were reported in the city as of posting.
Hi, my name is the eight-year-old girl in Leyte. I was on my way to buy fish when two men cutting a coconut tree lost control of it. The tree fell on me. I was declared dead on arrival. The men surrendered the chainsaw.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2131004/8-year-old-girl-killed-by-falling-coconut-tree-in-leyte |
An eight-year-old girl died after being accidentally struck by a falling coconut tree in Sitio Manipis, Barangay Bagaba-o, Leyte, Leyte, on Monday afternoon.
The victim, identified as MJP, a Grade 3 pupil and resident of the barangay, was reportedly on her way to buy fish when the coconut tree—being cut by two men—suddenly fell and hit her.
The men, identified only as “Pino,” 42, married, a chief tanod, and “Pabs,” 38, married, a farmer, both residents of Barangay Mataloto, were cutting the tree when the accident occurred.
According to police, they received a call around 1:30 p.m. from a police auxiliary of Barangay Mataloto, reporting the incident. Responding officers immediately proceeded to the scene and found the child lying unconscious on the ground.
With the assistance of the police, the victim’s family rushed her to the Leyte Rural Health Unit, but she was declared dead on arrival at around 3:45 p.m. by the attending physician.
Following the incident, the two men voluntarily surrendered to authorities and turned over the chainsaw used in cutting the tree. They are now under the custody of the Leyte Municipal Police Station for proper disposition and investigation.
Hi, we are two tricycle passengers. We were riding along when an old and injured large tree fell on us.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2280673/falling-tree-injures-2-in-angeles-city |
Two tricycle passengers were injured after a large tree fell in Barangay Pulung Cacutud, Angeles City on Saturday night.
The incident occurred along the Pulung Cacutud-Sapalibutad Road at 7:36 p.m., according to the Angeles City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (ACDRRMO).
ACDRRMO personnel responded and brought the injured men to hospital.
The road was temporarily closed to traffic while ACDRRMO personnel and Bureau of Fire Protection responders used chainsaws and other equipment to remove the large tree trunk blocking the roadway.
On Sunday afternoon, the Angeles City government urged residents to report old trees, particularly during periods of bad weather.
It also warned motorists against parking under large or old trees during heavy rains or strong winds.
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