Fire crews launched a dramatic rescue Thursday morning in San Diego’s Bay Park area after a tree trimmer got trapped in a palm tree.
Rescue efforts began just after 10 a.m. at Nashville Street and Tonopah Avenue. Firefighters surrounded the palm tree, hoisting their ladders into the sky. The tall tree was positioned right between homes, overlooking backyards and a swimming pool.
As of 10:50 a.m., firefighters had reached the 47-year-old man trapped inside the palm tree. He was dangling upside down, covered in dirt and debris from the tree, but conscious.
He could be seen talking to firefighters while still wedged in the fronds of the tree about 35 feet up in the air.
Firefighters quickly fashioned some kind of secure line to hoist him out while clearing away debris from the palm. By 10:58 a.m., firefighters had safely pulled the victim from the tree. The man appeared to be in a harness still and was able to make some movements.
Just after 11 a.m., the man was completely off the palm tree, with officials preparing to transport him to a local hospital. He was strapped to a gurney and taken away by ambulance.
Officials said the trimmer was contracted by San Diego Gas & Electric to clear the tree growth away from power lines in the neighborhood. He works for an Escondido-based company called Utility Tree Service, Inc., but his supervisor declined to comment Thursday.
He scaled the palm on a rope system, anchored himself inside the tree and started working. That's when a ring of the tree's vegetation began to break loose, officials said. The only thing keeping the vegetation from falling to the ground was the man's body and his harness and rope system.
The pressure was so intense on the trimmer's body, he could have suffocated, officials said.
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San Diego police officers provided traffic control in the area. Officials said they would remain on scene for several hours investigating the incident.
San Diego Fire-Rescue Battalion Chief Glen Holder said the rescue operation was a success. In many cases like this, the trimmer does not survive.
“Many times this is a body recovery because the weight of the skirt will basically collapse their body in half and they’re unable to breathe,” Chief Holder explained.
The chief said crews have a plan in place for rescues like this.
“Tactically, our initial plan is, you want to get a ladder tip to the top of the palm skirt and cut from the top down so you’re taking the weight off the person as you’re removing the fronds,” he said.
Chief Holder said he and his crew were relieved with the successful rescue effort.
“I’m one really proud chief today. This is just an outstanding job. It demonstrates a commitment to training. We basically saved somebody’s life today, so its, I’m one very proud chief right at this moment,” he added.
Resident Anna Gallardo lives at a home right near the palm. She told NBC 7 she heard some loud screaming before she ran outside to see the trimmer trapped in the tree.
“I was just concerned because he had said he couldn’t breathe, he was up in the tree and couldn’t breathe,” she recalled.
Her husband, Lewie Gallardo, said the sight of the trapped man was extremely concerning.
“What was scary for me is I saw him, how he was bending over backwards with all that weight on him. When I saw that, that was really scary to me. Man, I started praying for the guy,” Lewie said.
Anna said she too felt relief when firefighters were able to free the victim from the palm tree.
“Knowing that he’s alive is what I prayed for. He’s alive. I heard that sometimes they don’t make it through those,” Gallardo added.
The tree trimmer's name was not released. As of 3 p.m., his condition was unknown.
Cal OSHA will investigate the incident, per protocol.
