A beloved Washington DC resident died in a freak accident in a park after firefighters frantically fought to save her.
Sarah Noah, 35, was with her husband walking their dog through Garfield Park in the Capitol Hill neighborhood last Wednesday morning around 7.30am when she was struck and trapped under a massive fallen tree branch.
Fire and EMS crews responded to the scene near Third Street and South Carolina Avenue after horrified bystanders called for help.
Chainsaws were used to try to free the woman, but she was no longer conscious or breathing when they arrived and was pronounced dead, according to the police report.
Sarah Noah, 35, was with her husband walking their dog through Garfield Park in the Capitol Hill neighborhood last Wednesday morning around 7:30 a.m. when she was struck and pinned beneath a massive fallen tree branch.
The colossal tree branch that struck and killed the beloved bank executive last Wednesday
Mayor Muriel Bowser expressed her condolences and called the incident a “heartbreaking tragedy.”
“My heart goes out to our neighbor’s family and the entire neighborhood, which is in shock. I will be fully briefed and we will certainly proceed, but I think we woke up this morning with a heavy heart,” he said.
Moments before the tragedy, police said witnesses heard a crack and a pop before running in different directions.
It is unclear whether Noah was wearing headphones and may not have heard the sound of the tree falling.
The tree, which was identified as a swamp white oak, is 50 feet in diameter and approximately 100 years old.
D.C. Department of Transportation officials who were present after the accident said the tree gave no indication of trouble. Fox 5 DC reported.
Sharon Kershbaum, acting director of DDOT, said the department was “truly heartbroken” to learn of Noah’s unexpected passing.
Kershbaum told Fox 5 that the Urban Forestry Division is responsible for maintaining all of the District’s street and park trees, and that they are “incredibly proud of their track record and responsiveness.”
However, a day before Noah was killed, residents of the Capital Hill area sent an email to city officials expressing concerns about the health of the trees and the park, Fox 5 reports.
In the email, they said the park was “very dry” and had no access to water, and requested help watering the trees and grass as they were also concerned about the fires.
The tree, identified as a swamp white oak, was approximately 100 years old.
Crews removed the tree that killed the 35-year-old bank executive last week; mourners placed flowers on the stump to honor a life cut short too soon.
Other problems raised were cracked sidewalks and rodents in the park.
The Friends and Neighbors of Garfield Park sent a letter to DC Mayor Bowser and other council members to address the issues of pruning the tree whose branch broke off killing the civilian.
The letter details, in part, some of the current complaints community members had about Garfield Park and the funding they needed to address tree maintenance, according to the news outlet.
“Our community is in shock and we cannot afford to continue delaying deferred maintenance any longer,” the letter continues.
‘Real action, the urgency of funding maintenance and proper management must take into account the pending issues to be addressed in the park.’
Earl Eutsler, associate director of DDOT’s Urban Forestry Division, told the news outlet after the tragedy that he was not aware of the emails and insisted that the requests be taken seriously.
Eutsler explained that the trees are inspected approximately every five years.
He explained that there are about 30 certified arborists working for the department and all are qualified in tree risk assessment.
Sarah loved running marathons and is survived by her husband Craig, her dog Jackson, her parents, her brother and countless friends.
They use special tools to assess decay and defects and remove about 50 trees a year.
The last formal inspection of the swamp white oak that took Noah’s life was conducted in May 2022. In July of that year, the tree was pruned for the last time.
Eutsler described the tree’s fall as “an unforeseeable event.”
“I don’t think we can say conclusively why the branch fell,” he said. “The tree, by all external indications, was in good condition and that branch was well attached.”
Now, the tree stump is all that remains of him, and it has been turned into a memorial where mourners have placed cards and flowers.
TO GoFundMe A family friend organized the fundraiser. As of Tuesday afternoon, more than $34,000 of the $50,000 goal had been raised.
“She will be deeply missed by her husband Craig, her dog Jackson, her parents, her brother and countless friends. Sarah was a fierce, fierce friend,” the post read in part.
‘Her unwavering loyalty and unabashed openness inspired those she loved. Her infectious sense of humor and palpable warmth made people she had just met feel instantly at ease.
‘Sarah, even now, when we are all in mourning, we can hear your comments on this absurd situation, accompanied by your characteristic laugh. Your personality is magnetic and we will always carry you in our hearts.’
