article_snippet.sent: An investigation after the tragic accident found the tragic accident was ridden with parasites that had rotted the wood and made the wood very unstable .
article_snippet.sent: The town hall of Hiers-Brouage was found the tree had been weakened by parasites making the tree dangerously unstable, French website 
article_snippet.sent: the tree was between six and seven metres high and measured 13 feet in diameter.
article_snippet.sent: At the time of the tragic accident the then-Mayor was reported as saying: 'Everyone thought that [the tree] would hold on for a while longer.'