Tree Kills Man in Central Park

MYFOXNY.COM - A falling tree limb hit and killed a man inside Central Park at the entrance to the zoo, near 69th Street and 5th Avenue, according to officials.

The incident happened around 3:30 p.m. Thursday in the middle of a serious winter storm that has been dropping heavy, wet snow on the tristate area.

The branch hit Elmaz Qyra, 46, of Brooklyn, on the head, police said. Medics who responded to the accident pronouced him dead at the scene.

Fox 5's John Deutzman reported that he saw a number of uprooted trees and fallen branches inside the park.

Nearby at East 71st Street and 5th Avenue, a separate tree broke off and fell onto a city public bus, the FDNY said. The MTA said that one passenger was on board a BXM 3 bus. No one was seriously hurt in that incident.

The NYPD has responded to the area and is diverting traffic away from 5th Avenue because of the weather conditions and the two emergency scenes.

Cops closed 5th Avenue from East 69th to East 77th because of these fallen tree limbs.

Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe is advising people to stay out of all of the city's parks and to be careful when walking near trees on the streets because the wet, heavy snow can cause branches to break and fall.

If you see fallen trees or trees that may be in danger of falling, call the city's 311 hotline.