Accident takes life of Fort Kent man trying to fell large tree

[ScoutmasterRick]

Accident takes life of Fort Kent man trying to fell large tree

Accident takes life of Fort Kent man trying to fell large tree

FORT KENT, Maine - Lowell Guerrette, 62, was killed early Friday evening at his residence at 8 Spring St.

Guerrette was working on his property, around 4:45 p.m., where he was attempting to fell a large tree. Guerrette had attached a cable to the tree in an attempt to pull it with a compact tractor after attempts to saw it had failed.

Guerrette struck his head when being thrown from the tractor, according to a press release by the Fort Kent Police Department. Chief Tom Pelletier said Tuesday, June 2, that it appears Guerrette may have struck his head on the tractor's roll bar.

He was found lying next to the tractor by his wife shortly after the incident occurred.

Ambulance Services Inc., based out of Fort Kent, and Fort Kent Police Department responded. Guerrette suffered blunt force trauma to his head, according to Pelletier, who cited findings by the medical examiner.

Attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful. Guerrette was pronounced deceased at the scene.

 

[Deere Dude]

Sounds like he may have been jerking it. I leave my ROPS down so I can fly right over it.

 

[Mike_Kanzer]

Wonder if he had his seat belt on. Both need to be used together.

 

[gsganzer]

I hate to hear this, what a tragedy.

I've felled many trees over the years. If I'm ever in doubt, I put a rope in it and put tension on it prior to cutting the notch. Notice I said "rope", not a cable, not a chain and not a towing strap. I look at a rope as an insurance policy, you have to have it in place before you need it. And you certainly shouldn't have to "jerk" something. You lose complete control of everything when you do that.

When you use a rope, you have the benefit of the "stretch" to help pre-tension. I use a 1/2" climbers rope if the pull doesn't need to be that great or a 3/4" bull rope if I need more oomph. I'll get the rope as high as I can and then use a truck or come-a-long to get the desired tension. Knowing what tension a certain rope can withstand is somewhat of a skill. Like I said, the stretch of a rope helps to keep tension (unlike a chain that goes slack quickly) and it keeps things slow and controlled. Cables scare the crap out of me, with the exception of a come-a-long I don't own a single cable.

I hate it when I see someone hooking to a vehicle and then expect to yell to the driver to "start pulling when I tell you to go". 99% of the time, the vehicle rolls back first (putting tremendous strain on your hinge) and then they goose it (so much for slow and controlled).

 

[DKCDKC]

I hate to hear this, what a tragedy.

I've felled many trees over the years. If I'm ever in doubt, I put a rope in it and put tension on it prior to cutting the notch. Notice I said "rope", not a cable, not a chain and not a towing strap. I look at a rope as an insurance policy, you have to have it in place before you need it. And you certainly shouldn't have to "jerk" something. You lose complete control of everything when you do that.

When you use a rope, you have the benefit of the "stretch" to help pre-tension. I use a 1/2" climbers rope if the pull doesn't need to be that great or a 3/4" bull rope if I need more oomph. I'll get the rope as high as I can and then use a truck or come-a-long to get the desired tension. Knowing what tension a certain rope can withstand is somewhat of a skill. Like I said, the stretch of a rope helps to keep tension (unlike a chain that goes slack quickly) and it keeps things slow and controlled. Cables scare the crap out of me, with the exception of a come-a-long I don't own a single cable.

I hate it when I see someone hooking to a vehicle and then expect to yell to the driver to "start pulling when I tell you to go". 99% of the time, the vehicle rolls back first (putting tremendous strain on your hinge) and then they goose it (so much for slow and controlled).

Ditto. That's exactly what I do as well... Ropes and a come-along usually. Large trees and small. Done it for years with never a problem. Even trees close to structures. I use the tractor to haul off the logs to the wood or trash pile.

 

[tcreeley]

That's too bad. I wonder if the front end lifted and the tractor rolled itself after giving it some fuel combined with the pull back of the tree when the tractor lost traction.

Sad way to end the day. Poor family.

 

[kco]

We had a similar incident in our area April 24:

Logging accident results in death - Vernon Morning Star

There was no description as to how it happened.

 

[gsganzer]

For anyone who needs to put a rope in trees, a good 1/2" climbing rope has a tensile strength of about 7,000 lbs (figure a working strength of .5X or 3500Lbs) and a 3/4" rope will be about 12,000 lbs (working strength of about 6,000lbs). I usually buy my rope in 120' length. That's a lot of pull and stretch you can use as insurance to make sure a tree goes where you want it.

If you learn how to tie a "running bowline", you won't even need to climb most trees. (I used to have no problem scrambling up a tree with a set of gaffs, but It feels like gravity has increased 10-fold in the past 20 years :ashamedThrow a smaller line using a small sandbag over a suitable limb, use it to "fish" your larger line up said limb and around trunk. Tie a running bowline and pull your knot up to the trunk. Tension the line, cut a good notch, know how to make a proper back cut and hinge and you'll have no worries.

 

[Dr_Zinj]

I'd just about guarantee he wasn't wearing his seat belt.