Officials examine the scene where a tree trimmer died in a Jan. 28 incident involving a wood chipper at Ocean Ridge Town Hall. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star
A worker was killed Jan. 28 in a wood-chipper while doing tree-trimming work at Ocean Ridge Town Hall.
The man was part of a crew trimming coconut palm trees on the north side of the building when the incident occurred. His identification is being withheld pending notification of next of kin in Mexico, police said.
Ocean Ridge police officers arrived at the scene and determined the man had been pulled into the machine and was killed.
In a statement, Town Manager Lynne Ladner said the tragedy happened at about 9:30 a.m. The crew, from contracted vendor Carlton Tree Service, started the work about 8 a.m.
“I’m devastated. This is a horrible loss of life,” Ladner said. She added that Boynton Beach Fire Rescue is providing grief counselors for town employees and the vendor’s staff.
Ladner also said representatives from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration had been contacted and were headed to the scene.
Boynton Beach police are assisting Ocean Ridge police in the investigation. OSHA and the Medical Examiner’s Office are also investigating, police said.
— Henry Fitzgerald
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