Man Dies After Tree Strikes Vehicle in Birmingham

Community members in Birmingham expressed their shock following the death of a man whose car was struck by a falling tree while he was driving. Emergency services responded to an incident on Sutton Road in Erdington around 15:00 GMT on Saturday. This occurred as 60mph (97kmh) winds caused hundreds of trees to fall throughout the West Midlands. Police, who have not identified the man, stated that the case has been referred to the coroner. Hafiz Khalid, a nearby resident, informed BBC News that he heard a “big bang” and his daughter’s scream as she looked out of the window. “It was quite frightening,” he stated, and noted that a “big chunk” of the tree rested across the car’s windscreen. “People were trying to open the doors,” he recounted, and mentioned the vehicle’s horn was sounding continuously. “The police arrived and they opened the back window on the left side, and looked into it and shouted ‘can you hear’ and there was no noise from [inside] the car.” He described the “shocking” incident as having left many people in the community upset. Kevin Philpott, another local resident, also attempted to provide assistance. “I ran out of the flat to see if I could be of any assistance, saw what had gone on, and straight away called 999,” he stated. “There was a group of people around, trying to see if they could get in, get help to the driver – I just concentrated on ringing the emergency services, and then let the horror sink in.” “I kind of realised then how horrific it was.” Sgt Benjamin Parsons, from the West Midlands roads policing unit, confirmed that the man’s next of kin had been notified and a report would be submitted to the coroner. Individuals who witnessed the event, or who possess dashcam or mobile phone footage, are encouraged to contact law enforcement. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.