Tragedy Narrowly Avoided After Collapse of Willow
Grove Park tree splits in two close to collection time at nursery
The willow tree was split in two. Picture: Seaane Chin-Hoyte / Madele Hair
September 18, 2026
A large willow tree on St Thomas’s Road in Chiswick split in half and collapsed into a front garden this (18 September) Friday lunchtime, narrowly avoiding could potential have been a major tragedy The incident happened at 12:20pm, just twenty minutes after children from a nearby nursery were collected — a moment when parents and toddlers routinely walk directly beneath the tree.
Local resident Seaane Chin-Hoyte, who runs a hair studio, described the shock of the collapse. “I was inside my hair studio filming content when I heard a massive crashing noise outside. I rushed out straight away and called the Fire Brigade, who arrived quickly to cordon off the area. Hounslow Highways have also since turned up. While miraculously no one was hurt, the remaining half of the tree is still highly unstable.”
Firefighters secured the scene and advised residents to avoid the pavement until the remaining section of the tree can be assessed. Hounslow Highways staff later attended to inspect the trunk and root system.
Willows are fast-growing trees — but they are also notoriously vulnerable during hot, dry weather, especially in urban settings. They require large quantities of moisture to sustain their rapid growth so extended dry spells can place them under severe stress.
The Fire Brigade sent a crew who cordoned off the area. Picture: Seaane Chin-Hoyte / Madele Hair
Unlike deep-rooting species, willows spread wide, fibrous roots close to the surface. When topsoil dries out during drought conditions, they quickly lose access to water and structural stability. In addition their large canopy surface area leads to significant water loss through leaves in hot weather. When combined with limited root moisture, branches and trunks can become brittle.
The collapse raises concerns about other mature willows along St Thomas’s Road, which shade the pavements.
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