BY ANNIE GARDNER
A falling tree killed two and injured several others around 9 p.m. Monday, June 5 at South Fork Park in Provo Canyon.
Provo and Orem police said a group of around 25 people were having a birthday party at the park when a large tree with a loose root system toppled onto the group.
A 56-year-old woman and a 6-year-old girl were killed by the crash. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
Several surviving victims were sent to surrounding hospitals.
The two who died were identified as 56-year-old Mollie Rose Hobough Sorensen of 1114 Bell Lane, Napa, Calif. and 6-year-old Mollie Rose Sorensen of 1225 N. 1110 E., Orem.
Four-year-old Emma Sorensen was life flighted to Primary Children’s Hospital in serious condition.
Sixty-year-old Norman Sorensen from Napa, Calif. and 7-year-old Shannon Sorensen from Provo were sent to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center.
Forty-year-old Rosana Sorensen from Orem and and 40-year-old Don Sorensen also from Orem were sent to Timpanogos Hospital in stable condition.
Several other groups were at the park when the accident occurred and were able to give CPR and basic first aid.
BYU student David Hatch said he was playing football when he heard the crash. He helped several other men lift the tree off of the victims.
Other bystanders said it was a freak accident.
“There was no wind, no indication that it was going to happen. It sounded just like it would sound in the movies,” said Rachel Gardner, 20, from Trabuco Canyon, Calif., majoring in print journalism.
Provo resident Ryan Tucker was there with his family. He said he saw one tree crash into another tree like dominos and then fall on the party.
Tucker’s mother, Sharlene, was in shock.
“That’s where I was going to put our family. I would have if we had gotten here a few minutes earlier,” she said.
Sharlene said it was a miracle that blankets and help seemed to arrive out of thin air to help the family.
