Naugatuck Man Dies In Tree Cutting Accident

A 53-year-old Naugatuck man died this morning from injuries sustained during a tree cutting accident in Middlebury, according to emergency officials.

At approximately 10:31 a.m. today, Nov. 4, Middlebury Police and Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department personnel were dispatched to 400 Charcoal Ave., Middlebury, after receiving reports of a man who fell.

Upon arrival, they found a man they identified as Michael J. Pranulis, of 36 Winthrop Ave., Naugatuck, suffering from head trauma and multiple fractures, according to a press release from Middlebury Acting Police Chief Richard Wildman.

Emergency personnel from the Middlebury Fire Department, ambulance and medics from Campion Ambulance took over his care and Pranulis was transported to Saint Mary's Hospital, where he later died from his injuries, the release stated.

A preliminary investigation found that Pranulis was up in the tree cutting it when something went wrong and he got entangled in the tree as it fell more than 40 feet to the ground, Wildman said.

The cutting of the pine tree was a result of clean-up efforts after Hurricane Sandy, he said. Pranulis was employed by K Landscaping, police said.

Police are continuing their investigation and will be notifying the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, about the accident.