The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Local News

September 17, 2009

Mower accident

A landscaping employee injured when he fell from an embankment and a mower landed on top of him is actually quite lucky, firefighters say.

The man narrowly missed landing in water or on large rocks 3 feet away in both directions, they said.

Around 3 p.m. Thursday, an employee from Aspen Corp. in Daniels was mowing grass on Bluestone Coal’s property near Jerome Van Meter Drive, said Capt. Mike Peck of the Beckley Fire Department. For unknown reasons, the man and the large commercial riding mower both fell 12 feet over an embankment near a Cranberry Creek tunnel. The mower landed on top of the man.

The man in his mid-30s was conscious and able to speak when emergency personnel arrived, Peck said. He was taken to a local hospital for what was believed to be neck and spinal injuries.

Peck emphasized the man was “very lucky” because the accident could have been far worse.

The man landed on semi-soft soil, giving him a bit of a cushion, Peck said. Water and large “basketball size” rocks were 3 feet away.

— E-mail: apridemore@register-herald.com

Text Only
Local News