Tree that killed motorist in 2018 was anchored by just one living root, court hears<\/p>\n
A tree specialist testifying in court on Wednesday revealed the eucalyptus tree which crushed a motorist to death in 2018 was being held up by a single living root, despite appearing completely healthy from the outside.<\/p>\n
The court case follows the tragic incident that took place on Saturday 10 February 2018, when a massive tree collapsed on Triq Notabile, Mrieħel, crushing a Nissan vehicle during a severe storm.<\/p>\n
The driver, 38-year-old Romanian national Dan Udrea, was killed instantly, while his wife, who was a passenger, survived with injuries.<\/p>\n
Forester and environmental management professional Charles Grech took the witness stand on Thursday and provided crucial insights into the physical state of the tree and the historical, environmental, and structural factors that caused it to fall.<\/p>\n
Grech, who was appointed by the police to investigate the physical causes of the collapse, told the court that when he arrived on site in 2018, emergency workers had already cut down and removed the tree to clear traffic.<\/p>\n
Upon inspecting the remaining stump and the surrounding soil, Grech discovered that the tree’s root system was severely compromised.<\/p>\n
He told the courts that visually, there was only one living root. The rest were dead, and it appeared they had been dead for some time. He noted that the roots had suffered old, long-standing damage and had probably been heavily attacked by fungi, making them soft and brittle.<\/p>\n
Despite the internal decay, Grech admitted a normal person looking at the tree from the outside prior to the incident would have seen a green, seemingly healthy tree. He explained the average gardener would not have noticed any signs of decay and added that only an experienced arborist such as himself or a gardener deeply familiar with that specific zone might have noticed indications of failure.<\/p>\n
The expert outlined a multi-layered list of factors that ultimately caused the eucalyptus tree to fall during the February 2018 storm.<\/p>\n
He explained the row of trees on Triq Notabile dates back to the early 1970s when Prime Minister Dom Mintoff wanted to plant some more trees and favoured eucalyptus trees because they grew rapidly and adapted well to local conditions.<\/p>\n
Investigators discovered a limestone block buried directly underneath the soil beneath the tree. Grech noted it likely acted as a pivot during planting in the 70s but it restricted the tree’s ability to anchor itself deeper into the ground. He remarked that if he checked every tree along that road, he would likely find a similar rock under each one.<\/p>\n
He also told the courts the soil around the tree was heavily disrupted, and past trenching works in the area had further compromised the face-level roots.<\/p>\n
Grech noted that when the upper canopy of a eucalyptus tree is allowed to grow unchecked, it becomes top-heavy, putting immense pressure on the roots during high winds.<\/p>\n
When asked why this specific tree fell while the others in the row remained standing, he explained it was likely a combination of all these factors hitting one vulnerable point. “If a tree is well anchored, it should not fall,” he said.<\/p>\n
During cross-examination, Grech explicitly clarified the parameters of his brief, stating he did not delve into the legal or contractual dynamics between the Environmental Landscapes Consortium (ELC) and the government.<\/p>\n
He confirmed he had never seen any contracts, had no contact with the ELC, and was strictly tasked with analysing the physical mechanics of the collapse, rather than assigning legal liability.<\/p>\n
The tragedy exposed a vacuum in local structural oversight regarding arboriculture. Grech stated that following the 2018 incident, regulations have been updated.<\/p>\n
He heavily recommended Malta officially introduce licensing for people working within this sector, noting Maltese degrees in arboriculture do not yet exist, making it a relatively new profession on the island.<\/p>\n
This case was presided over by Magistrate Rachel Montebello.<\/p>\n