ROCKVILLE, Utah, May 8, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — No one was injured when a large tree fell onto State Route 9 in Rockville on Sunday afternoon, temporarily blocking traffic in both directions in the small town near Zion National Park.
Police in neighboring Springdale say the tree fell onto SR-9, also known as Main Street in Rockville, near 550 East about 2:30 p.m., according to a post on the Springdale Police Department Facebook page.
“Luckily nobody was around when it came down,” police stated in the post.
The Hurricane Valley Fire Department assisted and used a chainsaw help clear the debris so one lane could be reopened and allow the backed-up traffic to start moving, the post states. Both lanes of SR-9 were open by 6:15 p.m., police said.
Police say the tree had rotted down the middle, and with high winds in the area Sunday afternoon, the Utah Department of Transportation determined it should be cut down “for the safety of the public,” a follow-up Facebook post states.
The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory in the area Sunday afternoon, with gusts up to 55 mph expected.
Springdale police also shared video of the tree being cut down:
“The roadway is all clear for traffic and the debris will be cleaned up tomorrow,” the post states.
