Worker falls to death in Poulsbo while trimming trees

A tree service worker fell to his death in the morning on Dec. 1 while at work in Poulsbo.

Levi Delong, who was working for Scott's Tree Service, was ascending a 100-foot tree, equipped with his own harness, paracord flip rope, safety rope, lanyard and chainsaw, cutting branches on his way up, according to the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office. A coworker was controlling the safety rope from the ground when he heard a yell, before the Delong fell from about 40 to 50 feet up the tree and hit the ground, according to KCSO.

A KCSO investigation found that a rope connected to Delong's harness had been severed, KCSO spokesman Kevin McCarty reported, though the reason why was unknown. The shadow cast by the tree's branches obscured the coworker's view of the moment Delong's rope was cut.

The Poulsbo Fire Department responded to the scene on Brothers Lane NW at 9:33 a.m. where firefighters initiated CPR before the man was transported to St. Michael Medical Center.

The Kitsap County Medical Examiner's office determined that the event was accidental and that Delong had died from blunt force trauma to the torso. Sheriff’s Office investigators determined that there was no indication of criminal activity. An investigation is ongoing at the Washington Department of Labor & Industry to determine if any workplace violations occurred.

Edit: The Poulsbo Fire Department's response time was corrected from 9:33 p.m. to 9:33 a.m.

This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Man cutting trees falls to death in Poulsbo, Washington