A Tampa man died Monday while working with a chainsaw to clear branches after Hurricane Irma crossed through the Bay area.
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, 55-year-old Wilfredo Hernandez was using a chainsaw on a tree near his home when the tool kicked up, severing his carotid arteries.
Witnesses said Hernandez was dropping branches as he cut them while high off the ground in the tree. One branch he was cutting became entangled with the chainsaw, causing it to kick up.
The carotid arteries, located in the neck and often used to measure a person’s pulse, are major blood vessels that supply blood to the brain, face and neck. Rupturing or compressing the arteries can lead to a loss of consciousness within seconds.
Paramedics rushed to Town N Country Boulevard Monday evening after the accident was reported and had to use a harness to lower him from the tree he was working on.
When Hernandez reached the ground, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue pronounced him dead at the scene.