By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-12-12 18:01:40 | Updated at 2024-12-23 09:06:10
1 week ago
An auxiliary police officer was killed after a Christmas tree fell on top of him in Colombia.
Authorities said Kevin Navas, 19, was standing near the 98-foot-tall metal structure crushed him at Bolivar Park in Girardot, 88 miles southwest the capital city of Bogotá.
Residents quickly jumped into action and attempted to lift the yellow holiday prop in a frantic attempt to rescue Navas, videos showed.
'My God, the foot. Lift it up. Good God, look at this,' a woman said in the background. 'Right now they're looking for someone underneath.'
The group was able to partially lift the structure, while a multiple people used their cellphones to search for the spot when Navas was trapped.
Navas was rushed to San Rafael Dumian Clinic, where he died during the early hours of Thursday from multiple injuries.
Mayor Salomón Arias lamented the death of Navas, saying he was filled with 'deep pain at a time when we have wanted to bring happiness and a message of unity to all the people of Girardot and tourists.'
Kevin Navas, a 19-year-old auxiliary police officer, was crushed to death by a 30-foot-tall metal structure that resembled a tree in Girardot, Colombia on Wednesday
The holiday structure that resembles a Christmas tree was officially put on display Saturday
Arias demanded answers from Lamsa, a company which over the last 18 years has been contracted to set up the city's holiday exhibition, which was inaugurated Saturday night.
He called for a detailed report of 'what happened, with the aim of establishing the reasons why this accident occurred.'
The mayor requested the removal of the tree and called for a review of all other similar structures that have been set up throughout the city.
'I will also ask the supervisory, control and monitoring bodies to launch investigations to determine whether there are disciplinary, fiscal or criminal reasons for these events,' Arias said.
The metal Christmas street (pictured) was set up by Lamsa, a company which over the last 18 years has been contracted by the Colombian city of Girardot to set up Christmas displays, including
Residents who were visiting Bolivar Park immediately jumped into action to free the trapped 19-year-old auxiliary cop
City officials were looking into whether the decorative tree's collapsed was caused by strong wind gusts.
A similar incident took place December 4 after strong winds knocked over a real Christmas tree in Troy, Ohio, just three weeks after it was set up.
No injuries were reported and a new tree was installed two days later.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, at least 160 injuries are attributed to Christmas decorations each year.
About 14,900 people received hospital treatment due to holiday decorating-related injuries during the 2023 holiday season, which spanned from November 1, 2023 to January 31, 2023.
