TORREVIEJA is urgently reviewing the state of over 5,500 municipal palm trees after one of them collapsed on a car- killing a young motorist.
Martin Perez Aniorte, 22, died when driving last Friday on the CV-905 opposite the ITV testing station between the Carrefour and La Hoya roundabouts.
The incident happened at around 5.10pm when a central reservation palm tree infected with red palm weevil disease collapsed.
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Torrevieja mayor, Eduardo Dolon, said it was tragic set of circumstances that led to the accident.
“The car was passing by at the exact moment the palm tree fell and it happened to fall on the driver’s side,” he stated.
Sources from Alicante Provincial Fire Brigade suggested that a strong gust of wind blew over the tree, which had been weakened by the red weevil.
The tree was due to be pruned this week and a report stated that it presented no outward sign of infestation.
Anger has been expressed on social media about the state of palm trees around Torrevieja, stating that the fatal accident was waiting to happen.
The contractor responsible for park and garden maintenance in the city, Actua, launched an immediate check of the city’s 5,526 palm trees.
Over 3,800 specimens are known to be Phoenix wasps where red weevil infestation is rare.
There are hundreds of Phoenix dactylifera- similar to the one that collapsed on the CV-905.
The death of Martin Perez Aniorte has brought further tragedy to his family.
Both of his parents had died from illness within a short space of time and Martin had been living with his younger sister at his uncle’s home.
Torrevieja council has offered its full support to the family.
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