A Virginia man died on Tuesday after he was pulled headfirst into a woodchipper while trimming trees at a residential home, authorities said.
The accident happened around 11:30 a.m. outside a home in the 600 block of First Avenue in Saltville while a tree trimming crew was working, the Smyth County News and Messenger reported.
The man's identity was not immediately released and officials provided few details about the accident.
Saltville Police Chief Erik Puckett told the newspaper that no one in the crew saw what had caused the man to get pulled into the heavy machinery, though he noted that it appeared to be an accident.
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"It’s an unfortunate incident and I hate that it happened," Puckett said.
The Smyth County Sheriff's Office is assisting local police with the investigation.
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Puckett said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is expected to conduct its own investigation into the accident.
Saltville is a small town located in the mountains of southwest Virginia.
