3 hikers hit, injured by falling oak tree in San Jose

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Three women were recovering Monday evening, after a brush with death on a San Jose hiking trail. The trio was hit by a falling tree, pinning them underneath. 

"There’s 4,000 acres in Quicksilver Park. And whomever it is up there, was just in the wrong place at the wrong time," said onlooker Dorene Boulland.

Several neighbors watched anxiously as first responders slowly brought the three injured hikers down the Mine Hill Trail in Almadan Quicksilver Park.

Santa Clara County park rangers said they started receiving 911 calls mid-morning that the trio had been hit and trapped by a falling tree, two miles up the trail.

"We spent some time trying to locate the patients, using cell phone pinging. And we were able to reach the patients," said county Acting Chief Ranger Frank Weiland said. Added San Jose Fire Dept. Battalion Chief Brad Cloutier, "Fortunately one of our smaller engines has four-wheel drive capability. Was able to go up there."

Cloutier said a 50-to-60 foot oak tree fell on a section of trail sandwiched by a narrow drop-off.

In addition to being fortunate they weren’t killed, the three women also avoided being knocked 50 feet down the slope of the hillside.

"Had it knocked any of the off the trail, they would have fallen significantly down the side of the hill. Probably receiving even more significant injuries," said Cloutier.

First responders said the tree has a large trunk with lots of branches. One neighbor told KTVU she had an oak tree fall before on her property.

"We had one in our backyard, a big oak. And they fill their limbs up with water, and when it came down it was just full..it was like a waterfall coming out," said Boulland.

Once down from the hillside, the three hikers were loaded into ambulances, and rushed to Valley Medical Center in San Jose with moderate-to-minor injuries.Parks officials said the section of trail where the tree fell is closed, so the downed tree can be removed and the area made safe.

"We’re gonna have park rangers tree specialists and biologists try and determine what the cause of that tree fall was," said Weiland.

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Park rangers said they perform safety and clearance assessments on trees annually. And that there weren’t any reports about the trees in this area of the park prior to today’s fall.

Officials hope to finish cutting and clearing the tree by Monday evening, so the trail can reopen Tuesday.

Roughly 2 million people recreate in the 4,100-plus acre park situated in the hills of South San Jose.

Jesse Gary is a reporter based in the station's South Bay bureau. Follow him on Twitter @JesseKTVU and Instagram @jessegontv