Tree trimmer falls to his death off Signal Mountain bluff [video]

Emergency personnel carry a body to an ambulance on Forest Park Road Wednesday, January 18, 2017 after a worker with Big Woody's Tree Service fell 150 feet from a Signal Mountain bluff.
Emergency personnel carry a body to an ambulance on Forest Park Road Wednesday, January 18, 2017 after a worker with Big Woody's Tree Service fell 150 feet from a Signal Mountain bluff.

Emergency responders on Wednesday afternoon recovered the body of a man who fell to his death while trimming trees off the side of Signal Mountain earlier in the day.

Shortly before 3 p.m., a team of firefighters and rescue personnel could be seen from the road near the east-facing bluff, working together to hoist the body with a rope system at the scene in the on Forest Park Drive.

Four men heaved solemnly on the rope between the trees, walking several yards back through the woods until the body had been pulled high enough to carry it to a nearby ambulance.

Recovery efforts were underway by early afternoon after an employee of Big Woody's Tree Service reported at 11:22 a.m. the man had fallen about 150 feet while working on private property, according to a news release.

At 12:50 p.m., "rescue efforts" officially were changed to "recovery efforts." Although the initial operation was handled by local first responders, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office since has been called to investigate the death.

The identity of victim, who was in his early 30s, has not been released by authorities.

The Signal Mountain Fire Department, Dallas Bay Volunteer Fire Department and Red Bank Fire Department responded to the scene, and Hamilton County Emergency Medical Services was on scene for any injuries sustained by rescue personnel.

Big Woody's Tree Service is a small operation that provides a variety of services including land clearing, tree removal, tree planting, mulching from Dalton, Ga., to Athens, Tenn.

The company responds to private jobs as well as occasional emergency requests. During the tornado outbreak of 2011, owner Cody Watkins said Big Woody's had as many as 30 employees on staff at one time.

Contact staff writer Emmett Gienapp at egienapp@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6731. Follow on Twitter @emmettgienapp.

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