# 10 yr old killed by blowdown tree



## Brmorgan (Sep 15, 2008)

This actually happened 2 weeks ago in town here but I never thought to post it until now. My cousin works for the ambulance service here in town, and had to go out on this call.

A guy had a fairly big tree that had blown down on his property. We had pretty bad windstorms 3 weeks ago, but I don't know if they brought it down or it had been down awhile. When the tree blew over it brought up the entire root system as well, creating a foxhole of sorts where they used to be. This makes me suspect that it was a large spruce as they generally have shallow root systems around here (they only grow naturally in very damp areas such as ravines and swamps), and frequently blow down in this fashion. He limbed it, and then started bucking it into firewood. After he had cut a bunch, it eventually got to the point where the weight of the log was no longer enough to overcome the tension of the remaining roots that had not broken off. This caused the log to quickly spring upwards, effectively putting the roots back where they used to be, and the remainder of the tree vertical once more. This is dangerous enough in itself and could easily cause severe injury to the saw operator. As far as I know he escaped unharmed, EXCEPT.... 

His 10-year-old son was playing around the root system in the hole they had created, and when the tree popped back up he was crushed underneath. By the time the paramedics got him out from under there he had been trapped for almost two hours. My cousin managed to bring his heartbeat back, but unfortunately he had been without oxygen for far too long and the hospital was unable to save him. I don't know if he had also suffered traumatic injuries from the tree pinning him that alone could have been fatal. I suspect if it was heavy enough that he was either knocked unconscious or unable to breathe, it could have done major physical damage too - broken bones, crushed organs, etc. 

At any rate it's just awful. I can't imagine what's going through the father's mind. If he had simply cut it off at the stump end first, most likely everything would be okay. Not that I'm blaming him - I've cut many trees like this, and also tend to start from the top down just because it's more convenient to let the stump keep the log nice and clear off the ground. Never had one whip up on me yet, but then again I'm usually dealing with trees that have been down for years. This might affect my habits though.

It hit my cousin really hard, because he has a 10-year-old that he's nearly lost a couple times because of a bad heart. And he's coming up on having to have another open heart surgery to replace a valve once he hits puberty. It was so sad last week to see the obituary for the boy in the newspaper. It didn't say anything about how he died, and most people won't know.


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## treemandan (Sep 15, 2008)

Take your eyes off em for a second... Just horrible, my condolences, just horrible, horrible horrible.


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## masiman (Sep 15, 2008)

One of my biggest worries when I am out is that someone will get hurt from the work I am doing. Even worse, when it is a kid. Stories like these keep me a not nice person when I am cutting. I'll hug my kids a little tighter and keep that family in our prayers.


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## Brmorgan (Sep 15, 2008)

masiman said:


> Stories like these keep me a not nice person when I am cutting.



I hear ya. I've more than once told someone to "GET THE **** OUT OF THE WAY!!!" only to receive a puzzled look as to why I suddenly snapped at them. But when there's a big tree falling down it isn't the time for pleasantries.


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## Dadatwins (Sep 15, 2008)

My condolances to the family and friends, and to those involved in the rescue attempt. A reason that on any uprooted stumps/trees caution tape and barricades should be used.


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## KMB (Sep 15, 2008)

masiman said:


> Stories like these keep me a not nice person when I am cutting.



I do most all of my cutting by myself, so I haven't had to be "not nice" yet...but I will/would without hesitation. When my little girl grows up and if she wants to come to cut wood with Dad...she'll be getting a long and stern lecture on listening to Dad. And that goes for other stuff such as running the splitter, running the string trimmer and so on...can NEVER be to careful!

As a dad, my heart goes out to the guy who had this happen to his boy.

Kevin


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## TimberMcPherson (Sep 16, 2008)

Poor guy, out of his depth doing a clean up and kills his son. Those rootplates can all to lethal.


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## Brmorgan (Sep 16, 2008)

TimberMcPherson said:


> Poor guy, out of his depth doing a clean up and kills his son. Those rootplates can all to lethal.



Yeah, I don't know what his level of experience or knowledge is, but hell, even the best of us have overlooked things or done something we don't normally do _just that once,_ and that's all it takes. I was thinking, it's really too bad he didn't chain/rope the tree with a truck and pull it over right away. It should have come pretty easily after already being over once. But I don't know if he had a truck available or not (though I would probably be hotwiring my neighbor's truck in such a case), and I do know that one often completely overlooks the most simple things when in a state of panic.


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## TimberMcPherson (Sep 17, 2008)

Man I really feel for the guy, its got to be nearly impossibly hard on him.
He either had no idea his kid was there or had no idea about windblown trees. Theres no overlook once you have done a few of them, you shoud know to expect them to try to kill anyone around them. But your right, we all do dump things, make mistakes. But most keep there kids clear.

A guy years back was dealing with a stand of windblown willows on his farm on his lonesome. that evening he didnt come home. Wife alerted neighbours. But they couldnt find him. Next day another search, couldnt find him.
Next day a helicopter was brought in, they spotted him up in the fork of a tall tree, dead. He had been flung up there while cutting when one of the trees sprungpoled him.

Man poor guy


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## smokechase II (Sep 17, 2008)

*This happens*

*"His 10-year-old son was playing around the root system in the hole they had created, and when the tree popped back up he was crushed underneath."*

The crushing to death of people by the root wad returning to upright after being cut is somewhat common.

I'll just ahare one story that was posted here on AS 2-3 years ago.

North Carolina. Logger out cutting with young daughter.

She is killed - same physics.
He kills himself the next day.

-----------------

This guy needs a lot of support right now.

All the best possible for him - to see himself through this.


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## rx7145 (Sep 26, 2008)

I was cutting a maple that had been blown over the same way with all the roots up in the air. I told my Mom (who was watching the kids) to keep them away from the roots. As I was cutting the same thing happended, the roots fell back into the hole. I quickly look up to find the kids, they were accross the yard with her safe and sound. I cant even think what it is like for the father.


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## 046 (Sep 26, 2008)

sure sad that this happened.... but no way in hell I'd let my 10 year old play near me when I'm cutting.


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## 777ER (Sep 27, 2008)

Got to be careful! I don't like having kids around when I'm doing outdoor work for this reason.

I rather much have them in the house with a babysitter or with someone I know.


A few years ago, I know someone who rented a bobcat and was redoing the driveway by removing some landfill from a small hill.
His son was about 2 or 4 yrs old and was playing with a ball in the driveway near the front of the garage, somehow the ball rolled down the driveway which was at a slight angle, he went after the ball which ended up behind the bobcat rear tires.
As his father was operaitng it, he backed it up to reposition it, he ran over his son!
Next thing he was in shock and his wife was in the house which ran out to see what happened...the neighbor was outside at the same time and had to call 911. 
When the first responders came, they said he had no chance of surviving.

Not sure what's up with him now...


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## Brmorgan (Sep 28, 2008)

777ER said:


> Got to be careful! I don't like having kids around when I'm doing outdoor work for this reason.
> 
> I rather much have them in the house with a babysitter or with someone I know.
> 
> ...



That's horrible... I know my parents have told me a story of a guy they knew when they were kids that accidentally backed over his 2 year old in their driveway and killed him. They said he was never right after that, for good reason I guess.


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