Falls
Worker dies in fall from tree
A worker died after falling from a tree December 28, 2022, in Saratoga Springs, New York. Eric LaRue, 57, of Providence, New York, fell approximately 30 feet and died at the scene, according to a Daily Gazette report.
Man hurt in fall from tree
A man was cutting a tree in West Orange, Texas, December 26, 2022, when he fell about 30 feet and landed on his head. The man was flown to a Houston hospital in critical condition, according to a 12News report.
Climber dies after fall
A climber died after falling out of a tree while performing tree work December 22, 2022, in Smith County, Texas. The victim was declared dead at the scene, according to a KLTV report. A report directly to TCIA staff indicated the tree was rotted and that the climber fell with the tree.
Operator dies in fall from bucket
A lift operator died after he fell from a bucket truck while trimming trees December 5, 2022, in Fitzgerald, Georgia. The victim, Jordan Wells, 34, of Fitzgerald, was the owner of the tree-trimming business, according to a WALB News Team 5 report.
Climber hurt in fall
Dayde Collins of Provo, Utah, fell 40 feet when the branch he was using as an anchor on a job broke September 26, 2022, in Provo, according to a Fox 13 news report. According to the family’s GoFundMe page, Collins had surgery after the accident but still did not have feeling from his chest down. […]
STRUCK BY OR AGAINST
Man killed in struck-by
A man died after being struck by a tree December 29, 2022, near Lugoff, South Carolina. Ned Lyles, 71, of Lugoff, was cutting one tree when he was struck on the back of the neck by a different tree. The tree that killed him had a notch cut in it, according to a newstime.com report.
Child killed in struck-by
A child, either 6 or 7 years old, according to conflicting reports, was killed in a tree-cutting accident December 18, 2022, in Hardin County, Kentucky. Police and EMS responded to a residence after receiving a report that a tree was cut down and fell onto a child, according to a WLKY News report.
Worker injured in struck-by
A worker was struck by a limb and injured November 21, 2022, while working at a home in Jaffrey, New Hampshire. A tree care company was removing several trees using an aerial lift. An employee working on the ground was struck in the head by a log cut by the bucket operator. The victim was […]
Worker killed in struck-by
Gary Clancy, 71, of DeLeon Springs, Florida, died November 21, 2022, after he was crushed by a tree limb he was cutting in DeLand, Fla. Residents at the trailer park where Clancy was working lifted the tree limb off of Clancy and provided CPR, but he did not survive, according to a clickorlando.com report.
Man killed in struck-by
Isaac Lister, 32, of Warsaw, Indiana, was injured November 17, 2022, in or near Blackford County, after a tree he was cutting struck him. He was later pronounced dead at a local hospital, according to a Muncie Star Press report.
CAUGHT IN OR UNDER
Man dies after pinned under log
A man died after being found beneath a tree log December 27, 2022, in Weeping Water, Nebraska. Davis Lawson, 30, was cutting trees with his father, David Lawson. The father left the site and returned approximately 10 minutes later, and found his son underneath the felled log. He called for help and started CPR, but […]
Worker dies after pinned by loader
A loader operator died after being pinned between two pieces of equipment December 2, 2022, in Evansville, Indiana. Travis Lee Baker, 41, of Evansville, was operating a skid steer pulling a log as he backed up, and he backed into a truck’s deployed outrigger, causing him to be crushed between the two machines, according to […]
Tree trimmer dies after falling into brush chipper
Joseph “Joey” Wesley Manire, 46, of Crofton, Kentucky, was killed in a brush-chipper incident November 28, 2022, in Owensboro, Ky. A crew from a local tree-trimming contractor was working at a home when Manire became tangled and fell partially into the chipper. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a WSAZ.com report.
Worker killed when pulled into chipper
An employee of a tree care company, Jesus Contreras-Benitez, 47, of Redwood City, California, died when he was pulled at least partially into a chipper in Menlo Park, California, October 11, 2022. According to an ABC7 News report, when police arrived, they found him dead from his injuries.
Man trapped overnight in tree
A man was taken to the hospital on the morning of August 30, 2022, in Lebanon, Connecticut, after being trapped overnight in a tree following a tree-cutting accident the night before. Investigators believe the man was stuck overnight before freeing himself to go inside and call 911. Emergency crews were called to the home in […]
ELECTRIC SHOCK OR BURN
Tree trimmer shocked
A man was hospitalized in critical condition after he suffered an electric shock while trimming a tree at a house July 24, 2022, in unincorporated Tustin, California. Responding firefighters heard landscapers in a tree yelling for help after one of them contacted electrical wires. The men were holding a man who was unresponsive. The firefighters […]
Landscaper dies in lightning strike
A landscaper died July 23, 2022, four days after being struck by lightning while mowing a lawn or trimming a tree in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Julio Ceasar Lopez, 27, did not have a pulse and was not breathing after being struck July 19. His family said he spent four days in the hospital before […]
Lift operator electrocuted
A lift operator died after he was electrocuted June 16, 2022, while doing tree work at a home in Fridley, Minnesota. Johnny Lee Coleman Cotton, of Minneapolis, was working with a private company removing a tree when his chain saw or the branch he was cutting struck a power line. After the lift was lowered, […]
Climber electrocuted
A climber was electrocuted when he apparently contacted power lines while doing tree work June 3, 2022, in Fairfax, Virginia. First responders found the man still suspended by a rope 25 feet up. Rescuers were quickly able to free the man from the ropes. He was then taken to a hospital, where he succumbed to […]
Groundworker electrocuted
A groundworker was electrocuted during tree-trimming operations on March 1, 2022, in Madison, Wisconsin.
RESCUE
Climber rescued from palm
A tree climber in Santa Ana, California, was stuck 40 feet in a palm November 14, 2022. The climber was apparently fatigued and not able to descend on his own. The Orange County Fire Authority’s Technical Rescue Team shot a pilot line over the palm to establish a rope system and was able to rescue […]
Climber rescued after slipping from safety harness
A climber doing tree work was rescued in a Las Vegas neighborhood after slipping from a safety harness while suspended 35 feet in the air August 5, 2022. Las Vegas Fire & Rescue and crews from Clark County and North Las Vegas fire departments responded. The arborist was rescued without serious injuries within 20 minutes […]
Lift operator rescued from bucket
Firefighters in Del Ray Beach, Florida, rescued a worker who found himself stuck in a bucket while trimming trees after his truck caught fire July 23, 2022. The worker was near the top of a tree he was trimming when the truck caught fire. The fire moved from the truck toward the bucket, but firefighters […]
Climber rescued after trapped in palm fronds
A tree trimmer who became trapped upside down in palm fronds was rescued by fellow climbers on January 5, 2021, in Escondido, California. The man, who was wearing a harness, became wedged in the tree skirt after large fronds fell on him. He was in distress and screaming for help. The Escondido fire department was […]
Climber rescued from tree after dark
Firefighters helped a climber to safety on August 19, 2021, in Ionia County, Mich., after the climber became stuck in a tree about 30 feet above the ground. Ronald Township firefighters determined the tree trimmer was pinned in the tree by a large limb that had partially fallen. Crews from the Ionia Department of Public […]
