(haipo) - Two trees collapsed in Haifa in the last few days - only by a miracle no one was hurt.
During the last few days, there have been two cases of sudden tree collapse in Haifa, which only miraculously did not end in disaster. As mentioned, these are two separate incidents, one of which took place on Mebarot Street in the Ahuza neighborhood, when a tree fell right on top of a car parked under it, and the other on Moriah Road, when a tree fell on the road. A vehicle that passed by at the time was only lucky enough to avoid being hit.
In both cases, these are, apparently, trees growing on private property whose branches crossed into the public area, where they also collapsed.
The tree that fell on the street of Mabarot fell, as mentioned, on a parked car that was crushed under the weight and significantly damaged. Just the thought of the disaster that could have happened, had people been present at the scene at those moments, causes a shiver. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
The tree that collapsed on the Moriah highway a few days ago is also on private property, when a large part of it suddenly collapsed and fell on the sidewalk and on one of the travel lanes on the road, near a bus stop. Here, too, one can only thank God or luck, that the incident ended without casualties.
Who is responsible for the trees?
The question being asked is how it happens that such events happen again and again, and whose responsibility is it to prevent them? Just a few months ago, as I recall, two trees collapsed on Ehud Street, not far from the elementary school, in a place where dozens, if not hundreds of children pass by every day. Even then, these were trees belonging to private areas.
If so, who is responsible for taking care of the trees that are located on private property, but at the same time pose a real risk to passers-by on public property?
The Haifa municipality says that since these are trees in private land, it is prevented from acting on them.
Haifa Municipality's response:
"In both cases, these are trees on private property where the municipality is prohibited from operating and the responsibility for their maintenance rests with the landowners. The Haifa municipality acted immediately to remove the danger and open the crossing to pedestrians."
We are not satisfied...
In light of the many cases that have occurred recently, we are not rested. Should we assume that any person who has a tree growing in his private garden can be trusted to take care of it properly so that it does not pose a danger to the public? And what about a shared building surrounded by a garden?
We contacted attorney Ron Aviv, who serves as the legal advisor of Ether Hai Pa, in order to clarify the issue with him:
"The question of the responsibility of the local authority for the collapse of a tree that grows on private property can fill long hours of discussions. However, in the best of the essence, it can be said that the responsibility for a tree lies with the person on whose territory it grew, and from where it also fell, and one is if it fell within the private area to across public space, or into another person's private space.
"However," continues Adv. Aviv, "the local authority has the duty to prevent hazards in general, and among other things - just as an authority warns the owner of a private property that it is in danger of collapsing - it must also ensure that trees growing on the private property do not endanger the the public This authority of the local authority grows both by virtue of the general duty of care, and by virtue of concrete laws, which impose on the authority the right to monitor risks arising (among other things) from trees growing in the individual's possession.
It must be remembered that wherever an authority is granted - whether the state authorities or local authorities - the authority to perform a certain action, the meaning of this authority is also an obligation to exercise its authority in the appropriate cases."
In addition to the response I wrote earlier - reference also to the attorney's words regarding the municipality's responsibility regarding hazards that originate on private property.
I contacted the municipality via Moked 106, and also an active and influential council member, whose name I will not name, regarding an actual hazard in an inner courtyard.
Vegetation that grows wild and wraps gas cylinders.
I mentioned that due to the drying out of the vegetation and the frequent heat waves, and also the fact that this is a central location, any spark from a discarded cigarette, or a piece of glass hit by the sun's rays, could cause a fire and the explosion of gas balloons that would cause tremendous damage to the building and the buildings adjacent to it, and could cost human lives. In this case too, I was told that the municipality is prohibited from handling private gardens, and I, too, without an education in the field of law, gave exactly the same response as the attorney.
By the way, I contacted the fire department and they told me that it is the municipality's responsibility (this is a cover-up here as well.
And I ask from my age:
Don't you learn anything here about warnings and disaster prevention?
Is it cheaper to take care of the damage after it's done than to send warning letters?
Are we waiting for an event that will claim a human life to investigate who knew, who warned, and who ignored or passed on the responsibility?
I know the answer.
At 45-43 Trumpeldor Street there are two trees that grow wild and the municipality occasionally trims a few low branches but does not solve the problem from the root.
The problem is that one of the trees lifts the sidewalk and is an obstacle, especially for the elderly.
Also, as a follower, this tree is getting an ever-increasing tendency, and it's clear to me that it's only a matter of time before the tree collapses.
All my appeals to the municipality were unsuccessful.
The two trees in question occupy a large area of the sidewalk, and their blossoms leave a sticky and dirty layer.
I really hope I don't have to tell you one day: "I told you so".
Trees don't collapse by themselves.
Trees are damaged by construction
and therefore crash,
Take care to curb the construction in the green areas
and in ancient tree trunks,
Stop blaming the trees for the danger,
Trees are our life
They are not a danger
On the street where I live there are at least five trees that tend to fall. Without the municipality's response.
Nothing is forever. Trees eventually also collapse like people eventually die. Everything is fine.
The problem is a lot of concrete by the municipality and the contractors!!!
As a result, there is not enough space/soil around the tree trunks for them to build deep and extensive roots and stabilize. And this happens in both private and public areas!!!
For example, on the public sidewalks you see openings of barely 1 meter, which suffocates the trees and prevents them from getting enough soil and enough water to seep into the roots. The same in the private areas, where the yards are turned into parking lots without sufficient land area for living or water seepage for the tree roots.
Everything is directed and sponsored by the state.
Fires, cutting down trees, Pfizer vaccines, population thinning and more...
Everything is covered by the law
Just forget that the owner of the house will soon come to account with them these days, amen.
The tree, like any living thing, if you don't cut it then it will collapse. .. you can cut down trees, but then there will be a cry for why they are cutting down...
Cutting down the trees is a crime!!!
Imagine if you were cut down?
be ashamed
In the tree are rolled souls who came to fix.
Less than an hour ago, Et fell on 49 HaGalil St. on two cars.
Let's just be healthy
The trees are sprayed with substances that cause the tree to age and collapse.
This is known to all
Too bad there are people who believe the stories.
All ambitions are deliberately caused by the administration.
Wake up