Tree collapse at Pineview Reservoir leaves 13-year-old girl on life support, injures others
Jun 9, 2026, 5:38 PM
HUNTSVILLE, Weber County — A hot, sunny and windy day at Pineview Reservoir in Weber County suddenly turned tragic Saturday when a large, decaying tree snapped in heavy winds and crashed onto a group of children at Pelican Beach.
Witnesses said the incident happened within seconds as families were relaxing along the shoreline.
“It was a great summer day. I came here with some friends and some family,” said Brooklyn Gill, who was at the beach when conditions suddenly changed. “I heard a big crash.”
The tree fell without warning, striking several children gathered beneath it.
“By the time I got over here, I saw an unconscious little girl right underneath,” Gill said. “It cracked from the wind. The wind got really bad, and it just fell over,” she said.
The most critically injured victim is a 13-year-old girl who was found unconscious after being hit, reportedly in the head. Gill, who is CPR certified, rushed in to help.
“Very pale, very blue. I wasn’t able to find a pulse when I arrived. I could just tell from what I saw that it wasn’t very good,” she said. “I was really shocked, but I just had that mom mode kick in. I just wanted to see what I could do as much as possible. But it was very scary and it was very sad,” she said.
Another girl suffered a broken arm in the incident. Others at the scene were able to escape without serious injuries.
“It’s very heartbreaking. My heart just breaks so much for the family,” Gill said.
The family of the 13-year-old later said she has been placed on life support and is awaiting organ donation. The mother of the girl who suffered a broken arm posted on social media thanking those who rushed in to help.
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