Navy officials say a tree-trimming contractor is assessing the condition of an ironwood tree that fell at White Plains Beach over the weekend, injuring five people.

Mapuana MacDonald, 49, remained in the hospital last night with two injured vertebrae, said Keani Morita, her niece.

Kamu Morita, Keani Morita’s brother, was sent to the hospital with injuries to his back and head but was released.

Keani Morita, 21, said she and two others also were injured and took themselves to the hospital emergency room. She said she sustained a bruised rib and an injury to her back as well as scratches, while cousin Kendra Shim had head and back injuries and her boyfriend, Nick Alcoran, had scratches.

"It was a pretty dramatic experience, but we all stuck together as a family," said Morita, who communicated with the Star-Advertiser via Facebook as she was in transit to Las Vegas where she is attending school. Morita said she had to delay her flight by a day because of the incident.

Bill Doughty, deputy public affairs director for Navy Region Hawaii, said an arborist with the Navy’s tree maintenance contractor is examining the tree that fell, as well as other ironwoods in the area.

An assessment on the fallen tree is to be submitted to the Navy tomorrow, while a full assessment is expected Friday.

The Navy controls the roughly 15 acres that make up White Plains Beach, part of what was once Barbers Point Naval Air Station.

The Navy regularly trims and inspects the trees, Doughty said. The current tree-trimming contractor began its work Oct. 1 and was scheduled to work on White Plains between now and Sept. 30, he said.

Until the trees are determined to be safe, reservations for picnics in the area have been relocated, refunded or credited, Doughty said.