A man injured while trimming a palm tree Tuesday morning has died, an official said.
The 30-year-old was struck by approximately 50 fronds that fell from the top of the 40-foot tree and knocked him unconscious at 10:38 a.m., said Capt. Tricia Tracy, a Tucson Fire Department spokeswoman.
It appears he was at the top of the tree and was knocked down about 20 feet, Tracy said. He remained secured to the tree, as he was wearing a harness and safety gear.
Several people called 911, and it took about 30 minutes to cut the fronds from the man and lower him using a ladder truck. He remained unconscious throughout the rescue effort, Tracy said.
He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The man was working in the area of East Broadway and North Wilmot Road.
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A woman said the man and another person knocked on her door, asking to trim her tree, Tracy said.
The woman agreed and thought that they had been outside for 20 minutes when she noticed that the fronds had fallen.
The man's name is not being released until his family can be notified.
Just before 11 a.m., two other men had to be rescued from a palm tree on the northwest side, said Katy Heiden, a Northwest Fire District spokeswoman.
The men were working at a home near West River and North Shannon roads at the top of a palm tree that was 60 to 70 feet tall, Heiden said.
Some of the fronds they were trimming came down on top of them, and the men slid halfway down the tree, she said.
They managed to stop, and one of the men was able to get down on his own, Heiden said. The other had to be brought down with a ladder truck. Both were treated at the scene for cuts.
