A 17-year-old boy from Pennsylvania tragically died after his clothes got caught in a wood chipper while he was working for a tree removal service.
Isiah M. Bedocs was working his summer job when the incident occurred on the 3700 block of Excelsior Road in North Whitehall Township on Tuesday.
According to Pennsylvania State Police, the teen was airlifted to Lehigh Valley Hospital with ‘multiple traumatic injuries.’
But only an hour later, Bedocs was officially pronounced dead.
On Wednesday, Coroner Daniel A. Buglio confirmed that the teen’s tragic death was an accident.
The official cause of death has yet to be released, as family members and officials await the results of an autopsy.
A resident in the area where the tragedy happened described the incident as ‘very unsettling.’
“My heart just goes out to that poor family, just what that young man went through,” she said. “What a horrible thing to have happened.”
The neighbor also told WPVI-TV that she had seen other workers on the area for days as the homeowner wanted some trees removed from his property.
Bedocs was an incoming senior at Lehigh Career and Technical Institute located in Schnecksville.
The institute released a statement on Thursday saying it was ‘in mourning’ over their student’s death.
“Our hearts are with his family members and friends as they grapple with this unimaginable tragedy,” the statement read.
“Counselors will be provided to students who may be struggling in the wake of the event.”
A GoFundMe page set up for Bedocs’ funeral expenses had raised $3,300 out of a $5,000 goal.
It is not clear if the homeowner is liable for the student’s death. The coroner’s office and Pennsylvania State Police are leading the investigation, with the help of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Bethlehem Criminal Investigation Unit.
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