Terrible tree felling accident

[tcartwri]

We've had a number of strong wind storms here this summer, leading to a lot of blow downs. A local man was helping his neighbour cut up a large tree, and he didn't realise his young son was playing in the hole left by the root ball. When he cut the trunk away, the root ball rolled back into the hole and trapped the boy. They could not roll it back out before the child was smothered.

Take care out there.

 

[Western]

Man! hate to hear things like this. The "what if's" would haunt me for a life time. Sad thing

 

[MoKelly]

The "what if's" would haunt me for a life time. Sad thing

Very true. Very very sad.

MoKelly

 

[dmccarty]

After one of the hurricanes back in the 90's something similar happened. A crew was cleaning up with a bulldozer. One of the ground crew went missing and they went looking. Eventually, how I do not know, they found him. He had squatted down in one of the root ball holes to go to the bathroom and the bull dozer hit the root ball which fell back into the hole on top of the man.

Very sad. Worse with a child though.

Later,
Dan

 

[brin]

Very sad about the child and the Dad will carry it with him for life.

It is a vivid reminder to all of us to stop and think all the time when we are doing things like this and around our tractors and machinery. I have told my whole family to always stop and think before they even get in their vehicle to drive somewhere...No daydreaming...this is for keeps !

 

[jonyyuma]

I saw this very accident on video last year. Grandfather cut the tree and the youngster was instantly covered...There would most likely not be anything around to pull the stump back off them? A trap in the making...Just waiting...We had a lot of trees in the areas turn over this year with the 65mph winds??

 

[lakngulf]

That is so sad. It is amazing the strength those roots have to kick that stump back into the hole. I have seen it many times, but never thought about the danger. Safety first, and then look around to be sure no one is in what could be harm's way

 

[tcartwri]

I saw this very accident on video last year. Grandfather cut the tree and the youngster was instantly covered...There would most likely not be anything around to pull the stump back off them? A trap in the making...Just waiting...We had a lot of trees in the areas turn over this year with the 65mph winds??

2 minutes without oxygen is all it takes. Even a small stump weighs 5 or 6 hundred pounds, so there's no way two humans are going to roll it back out of the ground.

 

[tcartwri]

Found the video. Pretty freaky how similar the stories are.

‪Rescue 911 - Episode 713 - Tree root trap‬‏ - YouTube

 

[merrickvilleguy]

we've got a pair of 3 yr olds here ... and we've just kept to keeping them inside until the tractor is moved ... and never anywhere nearby when using the saws ... just too dangerous