A falling tree at Diablo Valley College’s graduation ceremony injured at least a dozen bystanders Friday evening, as crowds gathered to celebrate the Class of 2025, officials said.
The incident occurred shortly before 7:00 p.m. near the football field, just as the commencement ceremony was coming to a close.
According to the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, none of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening, but the incident required a large response.
Emergency crews were already on site as part of the school’s standard protocol and were able to quickly attend to the injured.
College officials said that none of the injured individuals were graduating students, as most were around the main stage at the time of the incident.
Out of the approximately 12 people who were injured, officials said only three individuals sought additional treatment at a local hospital.
Diablo Valley College expressed regret over the incident during what was expected to be a celebratory evening.
“The safety of our students, employees and visitors to our campus is our top priority. We deeply regret that this incident occurred during this milestone occasion. We congratulate all of our 2,442 graduates and wish them joyous celebrations with their loved ones this evening,” staff at the school stated.
Officials said the cause of the collapse remains under investigation and gave no indications if the tree’s age or if weather played a role.
A nearby weather observation site, located outside of Oakland, indicated winds were gusting upwards of 30 mph around the time of the event.
Despite the unexpected event, officials said that the graduation ceremony was able to conclude, and school operations were not impacted.
“An evaluation of the circumstances surrounding this incident has begun and will continue in the days to come,” school staff stated.
