PITTSBURGH (AP) — A tree trimmer is recovering after he was rushed to a Pittsburgh hospital with a chain saw blade embedded in his neck.
James Valentine was in a tree in Ross Township on Monday afternoon when he was struck in the neck by the saw. Another worker helped him down, and his co-workers left the saw in place to try to limit the bleeding.
Valentine had emergency surgery at Allegheny General Hospital. Doctors say the saw missed major arteries and instead cut into muscle. The hospital Tuesday released an X-ray showing the saw still in the 21-year-old's neck.
Valentine works for Adler Tree Service in Gibsonia. Owner Dominic Migliozzi calls the rescue "amazing."
“It was just a freak accident. It could happen to anybody climbing a tree,” said Valentine one day after the accident from his hospital bed. “The chainsaw came back at me and got stuck in my neck.”
Valentine was in a harness halfway up the tree along Perry Highway when the accident happened.
Police say something happened and the chainsaw blade partially embedded in his neck and shoulder area.
A co-worker climbed the tree and brought the man down. A doctor on the scene then stabilized the victim.
“As soon as the accident happened, the injured person was able to hold the saw in front of himself,” said Greg Porter, of Ross Township EMS. “He never lost consciousness.”
More at KDKAValentine turned the saw off, held it in place and began climbing down the tree.
