Harmonyman falls to death
ZELIENOPLE — A Harmony man died Wednesday when he fell from a bucket truck while cutting trees in a cemetery.
Paul Reese, 56, fell about 11:45 a.m. at the English Lutheran Church Cemetery on South Oliver Street.
Bob Cinci, owner of William Cinci Excavation of Portersville, said he was working with American Tree Service employees who were planning to cut down several dead trees in the cemetery.
The company, based in Wexford, had a bucket truck, wood chipper and pickup truck at the scene.
After Cinci saw Reese fall from the bucket, he immediately called 911.
“I watched him bring the bucket down and he fell and there he was when I ran over lying under the truck like he was taking a nap,” he said.
John Hanovick, Butler County chief deputy coroner, declared Reese, an American Tree Service employee, dead from head injuries at the scene.
Hanovick said this morning an autopsy performed later Wednesday indicated Reese died from blunt force trauma to the head. He said the manner of death was accidental.
Zelienople police officer Sean Adomaitis said he was first on the scene and found the victim lying under the truck. Though a chain saw was on the ground next to the truck, Adomaitis said no machinery was running when he arrived.
“It appears to be a work-related accident,” he said.
The investigation into the cause of the accident was turned over to the Pittsburgh office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Adomaitis said.
Chris Robinson, director of the Pittsburgh OSHA office, said it was too early in the process to comment on the investigation, which could take up to six months.
“We would obviously be investigating the circumstances surrounding the fatal accident and possible other factors that may have been observed when we talk to the employees,” Robinson said.
Several American Tree Service employees at the scene declined to comment on the accident.
Several calls to the company were not returned.
English Lutheran Church is located at 200 E. Grandview Ave. and owns the portion of the cemetery where the accident occurred. Cinci said he works for the church to mow the lawn and dig graves there.
