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Posted on Thu, May 31, 2012 : 1:15 p.m.

Man airlifted to U-M Hospital after being pinned by log in Scio Township

By John Counts

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A man injured in a tree accident was rushed to a Survival Flight helicopter around 1 p.m. Thursday.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

Editor's Note: This story has been updated with additional information about the accident.

A worker for a local landscaping company was injured after being pinned under a tree Thursday on Miller Road west of Ann Arbor.

Officials responded to Urban Foresters in Scio Township on the 4000 block of Miller Road at 12:30 p.m. for the accident.

An employee of the company, a 26-year-old Ann Arbor area man, was attempting to unstrap two logs on the back of a flatbed truck with a coworker when one of the logs came off, according to Derrick Jackson of the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office.

The coworker was able to get out of the way, but the 26-year-old did not. The tree fell on the man and pinned him.

His coworker was able to get on a crane attached to the truck and lift the tree off the man.

According to Scio Township Fire Chief Carl Ferch, the recently cut tree was "fairly big" and "mature."

"I got the sense the base (of the tree) was about four feet in diameter," Ferch said.

When his fire crew arrived, the man's coworker had already lifted the log off of him, according to Ferch.

"The paramedics felt that the injuries were substantial enough that he had to be flown out," Ferch said.

Deputies closed Miller at West Delhi Road at about 1 p.m. while they waited for the Survival Flight helicopter. The man was then transported to U-M Hospital and the road was soon reopened.

Officials were not releasing any details about the man's injuries.

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An employee for Urban Foresters was airlifted to U-M Hospital after an accident involving a tree on Miller Road in Scio Township around 12:30 p.m. Thursday.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com


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Crime reporter Kyle Feldscher contributed to this story

Comments

jsusan036

Thu, May 31, 2012 : 10:54 p.m.

Thank you to the coworker for keeping your wits about you to think clearly and act so quickly in order to get that log off of the victim. I'm sure you made all the difference when it came to getting that young man the medical care he needed right away. I'm so sorry to hear that this man had injuries serious enough that it warranted a UM Med Flight trip (when time is of the esscence), but thank goodness it didn't roll on to the both of you. I live off of Delhi and I pass your business everyday on my way to work. We will keep you both in our thoughts and prayers and wish the injured man a speedy recovery. Jamie W., E. Delhi Road Ann Arbor

DJBudSonic

Thu, May 31, 2012 : 10:07 p.m.

I once saw a forestry trade magazine and they had a death and injury calendar page, and nationwide there was one death per day that year. I wish this man all the best, wood is HEAVY! Four foot diameter log OUCH!

Linda Peck

Thu, May 31, 2012 : 7:11 p.m.

My heart goes out to this young man. Blessings for quick healing!

Bertha Venation

Thu, May 31, 2012 : 7:10 p.m.

I hope he'll be alright.