The accident happened Saturday on the property of a convenience store
SAGINAW, Mich. (WJRT) – An owner of a tree removal service died on Saturday on the property of a party store where numerous trees were being cut down.
The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) has been on the scene and is investigating. Two people were on this job when the incident occurred.
Jason Gempel, the owner of A Best Deal Tree Service company, was working with an employee on removing trees on the property of a convenience store on Weiss Street in Saginaw on Saturday afternoon.
One of the trees being cut down fell on top of Gempel, who later died from his injuries. At this point, it’s not clear how the incident happened.
“Nobody knows, but whatever happened is horrible — very horrible,” said Frank Bennett of Bennett Tree Service in Carrollton.
Bennett’s company, along with two other companies, came out Monday to help remove the rest of the trees from the property at no extra cost.
“There is nothing at all,” he said. “We just have to help everybody else.”
Bennett said he never met Gempel.
“You don’t need to know him,” Bennett said. “We are all family. We have to pitch in and help.”
An area resident has been watching the tree removal project at the party store and had conversations with Gempel about removing trees from her property.
She said he was very nice and hardworking. She is still in shock over the accident.
Bennett said the tragedy underscores how dangerous the job can be.
“I have been hurt a couple of times myself,” he said.
The owner of the store was distraught as well, saying he had just recently met Gempel.
“Very sad that it happened, very sad, God bless the family,” he said.
MIOSHA has initiated an investigation of the incident. A spokesperson says it cannot provide information on an open investigation. She said this type of investigation may take several weeks or months to complete.
www.abc12.com
https://www.abc12.com/news/local/owner-of-tree-removal-service-dies-in-saginaw-after-a-tree-falls-on-him/article_074350b8-7768-11ee-bc66-0b8a90b77dbc.html
