Another tragic end while working in the woods

tapper2 · August 03, 2011, 06:35:32 AM

WARRENSBURG -- A Chestertown man was killed by a tree trunk that fell on him while he logged property Tuesday afternoon.

State Police say a coworker found Robert J. Denton, 52, dead on the job. Denton was working at 4111 U.S. State Route 9 in Warrensburg, and was hit by the log from behind.

No other details are available at this time.

He was a great guy who I knew very well. He and his brother have been logging together for many years up here, just aweful.

thecfarm · August 03, 2011, 06:53:51 AM

That is so sad. Kinda makes me mad to think he was not paying attention for a few moments. Hind sight is always 20/20. Must leave a wife and kids behind. This is why my wife worries about me in the woods.

mad murdock · August 03, 2011, 01:58:04 PM

That is tragic! It goes to show you, that even one who has a lot of years in the woods cannot be too careful, there is just no such thing as too careful! I guess he went with his boots on though, better than withering away with altzeimers or some such malady.

grassfed · August 03, 2011, 02:16:48 PM

I almost got nailed a couple of weeks ago. I was pulling out a hitch and stopped to get one last log that was by the entrance to the main skid trail. Just before I got to the log I pushed a small tree down that I had cut but that was still partially hung on another tree. Well the small tree fell all the way to the ground and I pulled up another few feet, stopped set the brake, and released the winch. I was going to just jump out and choke the last tree when for some reason I decided to wait. About 10 seconds went by and then WHAM! an old dead top log that was hung up in a tree came crashing down and hit the cage right at the opening right exactly where my head would have been if I was climbing down....

JohnG28 · August 03, 2011, 06:20:39 PM

That's very sad to hear. Hope the best for his family.

sandhills · August 03, 2011, 07:13:16 PM

Very sorry to hear of your loss, don't know why bad things have to happen to good people.

Mlamountain · August 03, 2011, 07:45:21 PM

Sad. Kinda makes me wonder why the heck I'm doing this. I've got a 1 year old and another on the way and every day I come home is a good day

lumberjack48 · August 03, 2011, 08:53:27 PM

Very sad, it makes you think, this is the thing guys you have to think like that all the time, don't let you edge down, don't leave a tree hung up or pre cut make sure its on the ground.

YES,YES, you all now this, but for some reason we break the rules.

I fell timber 30 yrs, logging was my life, i left a tree pre cut, something i never did, i broke a rule and it put me in a wheelchair, broke my neck.

thecfarm · August 04, 2011, 06:31:16 AM

lumberjack,so sad to hear you say that. When my Father and me would leave a tree we would always walk away from to the left or right in a straight line. Her would never cut to far into the tree,so it would fall where we wanted it to go.The tractor would be turned off too.He was VERY careful in the woods. Next morning it would be down. But this was on our own land too.I know now the tree should be roped off with flagging.I know things still happen no matter what a person does.

OldIronMan · August 04, 2011, 12:07:43 PM

I didn't know him but may he rest in peace. My sincere condolences goes out to his family.

clww · August 04, 2011, 02:27:08 PM

My condolences go out to that man's family.
I've been saying this for years: "No matter what species, or size, the trees are always out to get you. Stay alert and stay alive!"