Weather brings down second tree on campus

The second tree to fall in as many weeks came down Wednesday onto Saunders Hall. DTH/Andrw Dye

The second tree to fall in as many weeks came down Wednesday onto Saunders Hall, breaking at least one window and triggering the flood lights on the first floor.

Around 2:15 p.m., a crew of UNC groundskeepers were checking campus trees for signs of weather damage when they said they heard the tree fall.

Senior Evan Raczkowski, who was on the third floor of Saunders Hall, said he felt the room shake, followed by the sound of breaking glass.

He said he saw the fallen tree through the window when he went to check on people in the next room.

“It was a strange sight to see a tree leaning against Saunders Hall,” he said.

The grounds crew was behind Murphey Hall near Polk Place when the red oak between Saunders and Manning halls fell.

No one outside at the time was injured by the tree’s fall. University Forest Manager Thomas Bythell said the poor weather reduced pedestrian traffic on campus, lowering the risk to students.

“The beautiful thing about trees falling is that it usually happens in storms,” he said.

The area was immediately taped off by the University grounds crew.

Bythell said saturated soil and high winds combined to bring down the tree, which he estimated to be more than 95 years old. The National Weather Service forecasted gusts of 36 mph.

The grounds crew removed some debris but did not clear the fallen tree because Bythell said it would be dangerous with the evening approaching.

Another tree fell Nov. 2 on South Columbia Street near Mitchell Hall, hitting two students and shutting down traffic on the street for nearly an hour.

Bythell said students still should not be afraid of trees falling.

Raczkowski said the two incidents have not changed his sense of tree safety on campus.

“I don’t feel unsafe walking around,” he said.

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.