# Man killed felling tree while trying to free his saw



## clayman (Sep 11, 2008)

This was in the Knoxville, TN, News Sentinel a few days ago. I do not have that paper in front of me so I may not tell it exactly right.

A man and his older son (mid thirties) were cutting down a Hickory tree that was near the house. I don't remember why, maybe it was dead.

While the son was sawing off the tree it sat down on his saw and locked it in tight. The son got an extension ladder and put it against the tree. He intended to go up the ladder and tie a rope around a limb to pull the tree over and free his saw.

He climbed the ladder alright, but his weight, and the weight of the ladder was enough to push the tree on over. The tree fell and he fell with it. The article stated he fell 45 feet, and the fall killed him.

I wondered about the 45 feet. But this is hilly country and I suppose it's possible. I suppose there all kinds of lessons to be learned from this, but to me the chief one is felling trees is a dangerous business and if you don't know how to do it safely, find, or hire, someone who does.


----------



## treemandan (Sep 11, 2008)

It was NOT the fall that killed him, no sir, and we all know that. It was a lot more than that.

45 feet? Like that? All not knowing anything about what you are doing? These were civilians right? If I had my camera for all the times I have seen a big ladder, a dead tree, polyrope AND a half done job we would be here forever.
Genarally, when a guy makes a decision to notch and drop then the tree goes back we are talking about civilians... God bless them and make them STOP! Holy crap and not good.


----------



## ray benson (Sep 11, 2008)

Father watches as son leaps from tree, fatally injured
News Sentinel staff
Originally published 10:50 a.m., August 11, 2008
Updated 01:49 p.m., August 11, 2008 
ANDERSONVILLE – An elderly man watched Sunday morning as his son leaped from a falling tree and sustained fatal injuries.
Mickey A. Phillips, 36, was on an extension ladder tying a rope around one limb of a large hickory tree that he’d been trying to cut down when the tree started to fall, officials reported.
Phillips leaped away from the tree and fell about 45 feet, Andersonville Volunteer Assistant Fire Chief Rodney Reeder said.
His father, Charles Phillips of Wartburg, witnessed the mishap and called emergency personnel.
The victim was pronounced dead on arrival at St. Mary’s North, according to Anderson County Sheriff’s Sgt. Bill Breeding.
Father and son had been trying to cut down the tree next to the son’s home on Bridges Road in the Heiskell area of Anderson County when the chainsaw Mickey Phillips was using became wedged.
Efforts to loosen the chainsaw failed, and Mickey Phillips had climbed an extension ladder in an effort to use a rope to pull the tree down.
Phillips’ weight on the ladder was apparently enough to cause the tree to fall, according to the report.
Funeral services are at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Hillvale Baptist Church.


----------



## Slvrmple72 (Sep 12, 2008)

Very sad and what an unfortunate way to die. Ladders and chainsaws are the two most deadliest tools for homeowners.


----------



## TimberMcPherson (Sep 12, 2008)

Thats sad, very sad. But its articles like this that give people an idea of the dangers of taking this kind of work lightly or without sufficent ability or judgement.


----------



## superfire (Sep 12, 2008)

*prayers sent*

:angel: 
so sad


----------



## reachtreeservi (Sep 12, 2008)

My prayers go out to the family.

A lot of New People that post here on the forum always think that we are too hard on someone who wants to cut without experience .
Or wants to start a tree service and climb without any instruction or apprenticeship.

We're not.



Just about every Tree out there can kill you.

We're hard on them because we know that. 
They think we're too hard on them, because they haven't learned that.
Or they think , in the same way little kids do, that bad things won't happen to them. They only happen to other people.

But Arborculture is no respecter of persons.

Saving a few bucks isn't worth it most of the time.


----------



## treemandan (Sep 12, 2008)

OHHH YEAAAH! Here ya go....

Last fall I got a call around suppertime, my favourite time, drom a distressed missy concern her hubby ( and kids) had tried the " ole notch and drop" and NOW the sw was pinched and it was GOING towards the house. 
It was a dark and windy autumn night as The Dan fired up his rig and headed in the swirling black and gray. The roads were lost under the blowing clouds and changing light, the leaves obscured and distracted the vision... I thought I saw a witch fly by. The Dan's right foot motivated by the uncertain prospect he was on... How bad could it be?
Turns out this schmuck decides he wants to watch the dy-wreck TV and there is this little 12 inch maple in the way so he is just gonna do it. 
So I get there, there is the saw stuck, the tree going over the house and the wind blowing it that way, kids, wife, landlord... 
The tree only stood a little higher than the two story house and ALL its weight was on one side. That might have help had the weight been on the side he notched but it wasn't. Every last main limb grew right over the house.
There was nothing more than a remnant of the hinge and the saw keeping the tree up and stopping it from doing a little, ( still a pain) damage to the house. It was an easy shot for The Dan to set a pull rope and he and the kids just yanked it and smiled at each other. 
That was lucky ( and small) that time but have you heard the one about when The Dan went to take down a maple and the client was in a body cast? Yup, David, that's him, LIVES over across town... by the grace of GOD!


----------

