Forestry accident in Hermagor: 69-year-old falls after felling a tree

Forestry accident in Hermagor: 69-year-old falls after felling a tree

A serious forestry accident occurred in Hermagor on Tuesday afternoon when a 69-year-old man was injured while felling trees. The accident occurred around 3:40 p.m. in the town of St. Lorenzen im Gitschtal. The man was alone with a chainsaw and was cutting down a tree when he was probably hit by a component of the trunk. This led to a fall in which he injured his leg and slipped over an embankment into a stream bed approximately four meters below.

However, after he fell, the man was still able to contact his wife on his cell phone. This immediately alerted the rescue workers and initiated the rescue chain. Thanks to his wife's quick action, several emergency services, including the Red Cross, the Hermagor mountain rescue service and the St. Lorenzen/Gitschtal volunteer fire department, were mobilized to help him.

Rescue workers on duty

The rescue workers were able to rescue the injured man from the stream bed. He was then taken to the Villach State Hospital for medical treatment. The incident highlights the dangers associated with forestry work, even for experienced woodworkers.

The speed of the alarm and the subsequent response of the rescue units were crucial in helping the man quickly. Such accidents are not uncommon in the forestry sector, as working in nature often involves unforeseeable risks.

This is not the first incident to make headlines in the region. Another serious incident occurred recently when a 66-year-old farmer was attacked by a breeding bull. Such events shed light on the risks inherent in agricultural and forestry activities.

For more information on the incident, please refer to reporting by www.meinkreis.at referred.