Public Safety
Twelve injured when tree branch falls at Whittier-area middle school
Los Angeles County fire officials said 12 people were injured Friday when gusty winds brought down a large tree branch on the football field at Katherine Edwards Middle School.
The branch fell around 2:05 p.m. at the campus in the 6800 block of Norwalk Boulevard, in an unincorporated area near Whittier. A county fire public-information officer told NBC Los Angeles that one person suffered moderate injuries and 11 had minor injuries. One person was transported to a hospital.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn said the people injured were children and thanked firefighters, sheriff's deputies and school staff for their response. The city of Whittier said the incident occurred outside its jurisdiction but that it was communicating with the school district about support for affected students.
Location: Katherine Edwards Middle School, near Whittier
Incident time: About 2:05 p.m. Friday
Injuries reported by county fire officials: 12
Condition: One moderate, 11 minor
Hospital transports reported: 1
Original local reporting: NBC Los Angeles — October 16, 2026 →
Official statement: Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn — October 16, 2026 →