WAYLAND, Mass. — A day at summer camp turned tragic in Wayland when a tree came crashing down on Tuesday morning, leaving a young camper with life-threatening injuries and sending a counselor to the hospital, authorities said.
The tree fell at YMCA Camp Chickami on Boston Post Road, prompting a large emergency response, according to Wayland officials.
Wayland Police Chief Police Chief Mark Hebert and Wayland Fire Chief Neil McPherson confirmed during an afternoon news conference that the tree crashed down in a wooded area on the campgrounds.
Hebert and McPherson said a boy attending camp was hit by a large branch and had to be airlifted to Massachusetts General Hospital, while a camp counselor who suffered minor injuries was taken by ambulance to a local hospital.
“This is something highly unusual,” McPherson said. “It’s a wooded area; sometimes natural events happen that we don’t expect. This is one of those cases.”
West Suburban YMCA President & CEO Jack Fucci announced that camp was dismissed for the day after the incident and would be closed on Wednesday, calling it a “traumatic experience” for everybody.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with this young camper and their family,” Fucci said. “We are providing support services to other campers and staff who were present during this accident, and will keep our camp community fully informed.”
According to Camp Chickami’s website, children ages 6 to 14 typically attend the summer camp, which was founded in 1955 as a division of Newton’s West Suburban YMCA.
No additional details were immediately available.
An investigation remains ongoing.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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