Coconut branches kill farmer while cutting down tree

May 08, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – A farmer was at around 11:30hrs on Sunday killed by branches while he and his brother were cutting a coconut tree at Beterverwagting Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

The dead man was identified as George Edwards. His brother, Steve Edwards was hired to cut the tree and he went along as his helper.

George stayed on the ground holding a rope around the tree to angle in a particular direction when it was about fall, while Steve climbed up the tree to start cutting it from the top with a chainsaw.

Steve told police that he cut the top–a part of the trunk and the branches- and notified his brother, Edwards that it was “coming down”.  Steve said he waited until he heard the impact of of the tree top hitting the ground before climbing down.

When he came down he saw Edwards lying on the ground, bleeding through his mouth with coconut branches on top his chest.

Edwards was immediately rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) for treatment but was pronounced dead on arrival.

• Betervewagting Housing Scheme, Coconut tree, Dead, Farmer, George Edwards