Palm Tree Falls on Pedestrian at Cannes

A palm tree fell on a man at the Cannes Film Festival who was walking along the Boulevard de Croisette on Saturday in the seaside French town, reports the AP. The incident happened midday at the fest. Cannes, which runs until May 24, is about halfway through its run. Authorities sped through festivalgoers to tend to the injured person who was bleeding on the sidewalk. Variety notes that the section of walkway along the Croisette where the freak accident occurred was shut down afterward so emergency workers could get rid of the debris.

No information was immediately available on the victim's condition, but per Screen, a bystander said "there was a loud 'crack' sound as a tree was blown over by the wind, before a scream from a person. A man was then seen lying on the ground with blood coming from his head." Another witness tells AFP that "there was a terrible gust of wind and suddenly I heard screaming. I turned around and saw a palm tree that had been uprooted ... and it had knocked the person to the ground, who was seriously injured." Representatives for the festival didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

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