Man Thrown From Bucket Truck, Killed While Trimming Trees Downtown
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A man is dead after he fell from a bucketlift while cutting trees in downtown Pittsburgh.
The accident occurred shortly before 1 p.m. on Saturday at 1 Gateway Center in a traffic circle.
The Allegheny County medical examiner's office has identified the victim as 34-year-old Michael Shiry, of Avonmore.
Shiry, an employee with Emery Tree Service, was trimming trees with a chainsaw about 60 feet high in a boom truck. For unknown reasons, the arm in the boom truck malfunctioned and fell violently towards the ground.
Detectives say Shiry was trapped inside, but he was thrown from the bucket by the force of the collapse. Shiry was killed instantly after he landed near the truck.
KDKA was told Shiry is the son of the owner of Emery Tree Service. The owner was there when the accident happened.
KDKA was also told Shiry is the father of five daughters.
The cause of the malfunction is under investigation. It was raining with high winds at the time.
The accident will be investigated by OSHA.
The cause of death was determined to be blunt force injuries of head, trunk and extremities, and sharp force injury of abdomen.