A professional tree trimmer was seriously injured when a tree he was cutting early this morning toppled on top of him, officials say.
“The tree fell and crushed the man,” said Cindy Mathews, spokeswoman for West Metro Fire Rescue.
The man’s torso and thighs were pinned beneath the tree after if fell in the opposite direction as intended. The accident happened at about 8:30 a.m. at 1431 S. Saulsbury St., Mathews said.
Firefighters estimated the tree was 2 1/2 feet in diameter and weighed about a ton.
Before firefighters arrived, neighbors using a Bobcat tried to lift the tree off of the man but they were unable to do so, she said.
When firefighters arrived they gave the man medications and cut part of the tree before putting air bags used to lift cars off of people to lift the tree.
They then rushed the man to St. Anthony Central Hospital, Mathews said. The man’s condition is not known.
The man had notched the tree so that it would fall in the street, Mathews said.
However, the tree had rotted on the side facing the house and when it fell, it went in the wrong direction.
The man was not able to get out of the way of the tree in time, Mathews said.
He was still conscious and spoke with firefighters, she said.
“He was alert,” Mathews said. “That’s a good thing.”
Kirk Mitchell: 303-954-1206 or kmitchell@denverpost.com
