Teen Dies In Gruesome Wood Chipper Accident After His Clothes Were Pulled In By Machine

A teen has been reported dead after he was pulled into a wood chipper while he was working for a tree removal company in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, Aug. 9.

Isiah M. Bedocs, 17, of Coplay, was reportedly helping with a tree removal job on the 3700 block of Excelsior Road in North Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania on Tuesday, Aug. 9 when his clothes got caught in a commercial wood chipper and he was partly pulled into the machine.

Following the incident, officers arrived on the scene shortly after 1:30 p.m. and Bedocs was transported by helicopter to Lehigh Valley Hospital with “multiple traumatic injuries.” However, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at 2:55 p.m., the New York Post reported.

Following his death, Coroner Daniel A. Buglio confirmed Wednesday morning that the teen’s death was ruled an accident.

Bedocs was employed by a tree removal company at the time of the accident and had been working on the site for several days. The homeowner had hired Bedocs’ team to remove about 10 trees on the property.

Bedocs was enrolled in the auto technology program at Lehigh Career and Technical Institute and was just weeks away from starting his senior year there.

Following Bedocs death, the Institute released a statement saying that there are “mourning” the teen’s death.

“Our hearts are with his family members and friends as they grapple with this unimaginable tragedy,” the school said in the statement.

The statement also added that counselors will be provided to students who may be struggling in the wake of the event, Daily Mail reported.

Meanwhile, a neighbor who lives near the scene of the accident described the tragedy as “unnerving.”

“It’s very sad for what happened to the young man,” the woman added. “I’m very sorry he didn’t make it.”

"My heart just goes out to that poor family, just what that young man went through," the neighbor said, offering her condolences to the teen's family.

"What a horrible thing to have happened to someone so young," she added.

As of Thursday, Aug. 11, a GoFundMe page that was set up for Bedocs had raised US$3,310 out of a US$5,000 goal to pay for his funeral expenses.

The Pennsylvania State Police and the coroner’s office, along with help from the Bethlehem Criminal Investigation Unit and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), are investigating the incident.