An Athens man who was working as an arborist was killed Wednesday when he fell from this oak tree in China after his safety line was severed. Photo courtesy of Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office
CHINA — An arborist from Athens was killed this week when he apparently and mistakenly cut through his safety line with a chain saw and then fell to the ground as he was working on a tree in China, according to officials.
Christopher Thwing, 35, was working to topple the top section of an oak tree along Fire Road 3 early Wednesday afternoon, the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.
After severing his safety line, Thwing was pulled to the ground when the top portion of the tree fell, according to a statement to the news media issued by Lt. Chris Read of the Sheriff’s Office.
People attempted to administer CPR, but Thwing was pronounced dead at the scene.
Thwing was working with Tip Top Tree Service of Norridgewock, which had been hired by a resident to take down some large oak trees. It was not clear Thursday how far Thwing had fallen.
A Sheriff’s Office report on the incident indicated Thwing was wearing protective gear, according to Read.
Fire Road 3 runs along the western side of China Lake, near the lake’s northern tip. It is just off Neck Road and south of China Village.
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