Falling Limb From Baker Tree Injures Student
David M. Templeton—The Tech
A senior was injured by a falling tree limb at Baker House Saturday, according to Campus Police Captain David Carlson.
Wei-Hsuan “Jessie” Ho ’08, was struck by a large branch from the Class of 1950 Willow Tree in front of Baker House, Director of Operations and Security John DiFava said. The willow has since been removed, according to DiFava, due to concerns about the stability of the tree in Saturday’s high winds.
An emergency call was made to campus police at 11:17 a.m. on Saturday, Carlson said. Police officers arriving on the scene administered first aid and called an ambulance that arrived about nine minutes later.
Ho is currently in “good condition” at Massachusetts General Hospital according to the hospital’s media affairs officer Valerie Wencis.
The willow was a gift dedicated by the MIT Class of 1950 that was recently rededicated in 2000. On the afternoon following the accident, major branches were trimmed, and by the end of Monday the entire tree — including the stump — was gone.
DiFava said that all large trees on campus are checked regularly by the Department of Facilities for safety and the Baker willow was no exception. “I know on Saturday the winds were vicious,” DiFava said. “A tree may look hard and sturdy, but it might have hidden problems.”