As They Took Wedding Photos, a Tree Fell, Killed 1

"It’s just again showing that the vegetation in southern California is still very stressed from the drought we’ve had for five years." So said LA County Fire Department Deputy Chief John Tripp in the wake of a Saturday tragedy in Whittier, reports USA Today: A family was taking wedding photos in Penn Park near a 100-foot-tall eucalyptus tree when it uprooted and fell, trapping some of the party underneath. A woman was killed and five others, including 4-year-old girl, injured in the incident, which happened at 4:30pm local time, reports the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.

The relationship of the woman and girl to the bride and groom has not been released. NBC Los Angeles reports as many as 20 people were trapped under the tree, and chainsaws were used to extricate them. A witness shared this wrenching observation about the bride: "She was limping a little bit, but she was screaming about her mom—they couldn’t wake her up." An arborist will investigate Monday or Tuesday. NBC notes it rained heavily the previous night. (More falling tree stories.)