A man died after being trapped in a tree he was cutting Monday afternoon in North Kohala.
A man died after being trapped in a tree he was cutting Monday afternoon in North Kohala.
Andrew A. Ankner, no permanent address, was about 20 feet from the ground when a tree branch he cut came down on him about 3:24 p.m.
A fire department press release said that he was in an inaccessible area, a “privately manicured Cultural Park” along Keokea Park Road. He was working for the property owner, said Chris Loos, communication officer for the department.
The branch pinned Ankner in a fork in the tree, police said.
Personnel from companies 7 and 15 worked together to remove the branch and bring the Ankner to the ground, the fire department release said.
Personnel tried to stabilize him at the tree before he was flown by helicopter to North Hawaii Community Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition. He was pronounced dead at 7:56 p.m.
An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.