Tree trimmer dies after falling into wood chipper, police say

Mar 10, 2023

A tree trimmer has died after falling into a wood chipper while he was working, police say.

The incident occurred at approximately 12:53 p.m. on Tuesday in Menlo Park, California, approximately 30 miles south of San Francisco, when the Menlo Park Police Department responded to a report of an incident involving a tree trimmer who had managed to accidentally fall into a wood chipper on the 900 block of Peggy Lane while he was working, police say.

"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 confirming the fatality.

Authorities from the Menlo Park Fire Protection District and the San Mateo County Coroner's Office also responded to the tragic accident. The street was shut down while authorities conducted their investigation but all other roads in the area were open to traffic during this period.

The worker's identity has not yet been released and is currently under the jurisdiction of the coroner's office while they notify the male victim's next of kin, authorities said. It is unclear when they will be making a further statement on the identity of the victim and the coroner's office did not release any further details on the incident.

The Menlo Park Police Department confirmed that his death will be investigated by the Cal/OSHA Division of Occupational Safety and Health.