Massachusetts Landscape Contractor Pinned When Pine Tree Falls on His Legs

A Natick, Mass. landscape contractor was seriously injured Feb. 28 when an 80-foot-tall pine tree he was cutting fell on him, pinning both legs to the ground.

Fire officials say the man was pinned for half an hour, with the 3-foot diameter tree lying across his legs.

The emergency call was placed by a co-worker of Wildflower Landscaping of Natick.

"He was alert and in a lot of pain. He was screaming, but he never lost consciousness," said Deputy Fire Chief Mike Slattery. "The man, who was not identified by the fire department, was taken to the MetroWest Medical Center's Leonard Morse campus for injuries to both of his legs.

Slattery said rescue workers had to use giant airbags to lift the tree off the man.