A broken tree collides with a parked car in Auckland CBD’s St Patrick’s Square

A tree snapped and collided with a parked car in Auckland’s St Patrick’s Square, causing serious damage to the uninsured vehicle.

The impact shattered the car’s windshield and smashed the roof.

Police are the scene and the area around the Wyndham St site has been cordoned off.

Sam Lovli said he was about twenty feet away when the tree fell. No one was in the vehicle, but the tree bypassed people in the square, he said.

“I was having lunch and I saw on my peripherals that the tree was falling and then crashing into the red car.

“Everyone is fine. It’s a pretty public area, the walkway. Everyone goes to the adjacent park for lunch. I’d say it’s definitely a mistake, if it had fallen in a different direction, it would have crushed someone.”

Lovli said the driver of the vehicle had been on his lunch break and returned to his car minutes after the tree fell.

“The poor man didn’t have insurance either. Difficult day.”

He said the base of the tree was completely rotten.

“I went and checked it and kicked where the tree had broken and it just fell apart. So it was going to happen any minute.”