Giant tree branch crashes onto busy Dénia ice cream shop terrace

A peaceful lunchtime in the heart of Dénia turned into a frightening scene when a huge branch suddenly crashed down onto the terrace of a popular ice cream shop.

Huge branch crashes onto busy terrace

The incident happened on Friday, August 21, along Marqués de Campo, one of the city’s busiest pedestrian streets and a popular meeting point during the summer season.

The branch came from one of the large plane trees lining the avenue and fell without warning, landing directly in the area outside the ice cream shop. The sheer size of the branch caused significant damage to the furniture beneath it and immediately attracted the attention of people nearby.

According to reports from witnesses, several customers were sitting at the terrace when they heard a loud cracking sound. They managed to get up and move away moments before the heavy branch came crashing down.

The falling tree limb smashed through a parasol and damaged a table and chairs, leaving customers and passers-by shaken by how close the incident came to becoming a serious accident.

No injuries reported

Despite the dramatic nature of the incident, no injuries were reported.

That has provided some relief given how busy Marqués de Campo can become during August, when residents and visitors fill the pedestrianised street throughout the day.

The fallen branch also caused a brief disruption to the normal activity along the avenue, with pedestrians stopping to look at the sizeable section of tree that had come down.

Images from the scene show the substantial branch lying across the pavement, highlighting the potential danger created by the collapse.

Storm may have weakened the tree

The exact reason why the branch broke away was not immediately established.

However, the incident came just one day after a period of intense weather affected Dénia, with heavy rainfall and strong gusts of wind recorded in the area.

Another tree also fell during the same weather episode, raising the possibility that the combination of rain and wind may have contributed to the branch becoming unstable.

The incident has also prompted discussion among residents about the importance of checking trees in busy public areas after severe weather.

With Marqués de Campo attracting large numbers of people and outdoor terraces operating throughout the summer, the sudden collapse demonstrates how quickly conditions can change, even in one of Dénia’s most familiar and heavily used streets.

Fortunately, what could have been a serious incident ended with damage to outdoor furniture rather than injuries, leaving those who witnessed the branch fall with a considerable summer fright.