California Man Killed In Freak Wood Chipper Accident

A California tree trimmer was working in Menlo Park on Tuesday afternoon around 1:00 p.m when he fell from a tree into the wood chipper below and was critically injured. According to ABC News, police arrived on scene just 30 miles outside of San Francisco after a bystander reported the incident. When police arrived, they found the man dead in the wood chipper due to injures sustained from the fall. The victim's death has been deemed accidental by authorities.

“When police units arrived on scene, a male subject was found deceased from injuries sustained in the incident,” the Menlo Park Police Department said in a statement obtained by ABC News. The road that the man was working on was closed to the public as police investigated. Surrounding roads remained opened to allow cars to travel swiftly through the area.

ABC News mentioned that the San Mateo County Coroner’s Office and the Menlo Park Fire Protection District also arrived on scene to investigate the victim's accidental death. WGN9 shared that the Division of Occupational Safety and Health is currently investigating the incident. Police have not released the identity of the deceased tree trimmer as authorities continue to investigate, and the family is notified.