New details emerge after 8-year-old killed, 4 others injured by falling tree limb in Calabasas

CALABASAS, Calif. (KABC) -- New details are emerging after an 8-year-old boy was killed and several others injured when a tree branch fell on them at a summer camp in a Calabasas park.

The incident unfolded Wednesday afternoon at King Gillette Ranch on Mulholland Drive, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

The victims were all part of a summer camp and were gathering at the end of the day under an oak tree.

"They heard cracks and suddenly a very large branch fell on top of them. It is being estimated that it was 25-30 foot branch," the sheriff's department said in a news release.

A child was killed and several others were injured after a tree branch fell on them at a summer camp in a Calabasas park, officials say.

The 8-year-old boy was taken to the hospital where he later died. Four other people suffered varying degrees of injuries.

An 11-year-old girl was airlifted to the hospital with a broken leg, a 5-year-old boy sustained cuts to his head, a 22-year-old man had abrasions to his head and bruising to his arm and a 73-year-old man had a concussion, the department said.

Camp Wildcraft's website says children as young as 4-and-a-half years old can attend, and middle and high school students can attend as junior guides and guides in training, their version of camp counselors.

"Words cannot express the depth of our sorrow. Our hearts are with the child's family, friends, and all those affected by this unimaginable tragedy," said a statement from the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, which manages the park.

"The safety and well-being of children and adults in our parks is, and always will be, our highest priority," the statement added. "We are working closely with (Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department) and appropriate agencies to understand exactly what happened, and we are fully committed to supporting a thorough and transparent investigation."

The entrance to King Gillette Ranch was shut down amid an investigation.

The incident has eerie similarities to another toppled tree in Pasadena 10 years ago this month. In that incident, a 75-foot tree fell outside Kidspace Children's Museum, critically injuring two children attending summer camp. That incident also happened right as parents were arriving to pick up their children.