Child killed, others injured after tree limb falls on group at summer camp in Calabasas

CALABASAS, Calif. (KABC) -- A child was killed and several others were injured Wednesday afternoon after a tree branch fell on them at a summer camp in a Calabasas park, officials said.

The sheriff's Malibu-Lost Hills Station said the tree branch may have fallen on up to nine children at King Gillette Ranch in the 2600 block of Mulholland Drive.

A total of five people were treated in the incident, including two who suffered minor injuries.

The mother of one camper said children attending Camp Wildcraft were getting picked up around 3 p.m. when what appears to be several branches broke off a huge tree and fell on people. It's unclear why the branches of the tree broke.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is investigating the death.

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.