MEC&F Expert Engineers : MAN DIES WHILE CUTTING TREE WHEN PART OF THE TREE SENDS THE BUCKET LIFT CRASHING 30-FEET DOWN

Thursday, April 2, 2015

MAN DIES WHILE CUTTING TREE WHEN PART OF THE TREE SENDS THE BUCKET LIFT CRASHING 30-FEET DOWN





APRIL 2, 2015

ATTICA TOWNSHIP, MICH. (AP)

A 35-year-old Columbiaville man was killed Wednesday while cutting trees at a home in Attica Township.

On Wednesday, April 1, around 3:06 p.m. Lapeer County Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched to a home on Caster Drive for a man that was injured while cutting down a tree, according to a news release from the Lapeer County Sheriff's Office.

Jeremy Machiela, 35 of Columbiaville, and four family members were removing two trees at a privately owned residence. The trees were an estimated height of 60 feet and two feet in diameter trunks, according to the release. A bucket lift was used to cut a tree which was located near a shed on the property.

Machiela was inside the bucket lift and about 30 feet off the ground, according to the release. A chainsaw was used to cut the tree, while three men used a rope attached to the upper section of the tree being removed to control the fall.

The upper section of tree did not fall like anticipated and hit the bucket lift.

The bucket lift and tree fell onto the roof of the nearby shed, collapsing the roof. Machiela was wearing a harness, but was ejected from the bucket lift and hit the roof, according to the release. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Equipment failure does not appear to be a contributing factor in the accident, according to the release. The Lapeer County Sheriff's Office was assisted by the Lapeer County Fire Department and Lapeer County EMS.

This case remains under investigation by the Lapeer County Sheriff's Office.

Please leave tree cutting to the professionals.  It does not worth the risk.

Source: www.mlive.com