Man dies in freak forestry accident

A freak forestry accident claimed the life of a young cable logging apprentice in the Wharerata Ranges yesterday. File photo / Hawke's Bay Today

A freak forestry accident claimed the life of a young cable logging apprentice in the Wharerata Ranges yesterday morning.

James Te Rohe Goodfellow, 19, of Gisborne, was killed when a ridge he was standing on gave way, throwing him into a hole where he was crushed by a tree stump. He died at the scene.

Wairoa Senior Sergeant Tony Bates said Mr Goodfellow had been standing near a tree stump used as an "anchor point" for a log-hauler.

Mr Goodfellow - known to his family and friends as TJ - was with his cousin on a ridge watching stropped-up trees being dragged into the skid, when the root plate of the 4m-wide anchor stump hinged forward and collapsed the bank they were standing on.

His cousin fell backwards but Mr Goodfellow fell into the hole.

The wire rope around the stump came away and the stump fell back into the hole on top of him.

Forestry workers from his crew dragged the stump off him but his injuries were fatal.

His father, Samuel Douglas, who worked in the same crew, was trying to come to grips with his loss.

"It is moumou tangata - a waste of life. The earth came up and swallowed my son. Now we have to put him to rest," he said.

"My son was a bushman to the end. He was still holding his saw, which he managed to save."

Mr Goodfellow's boss, Steve Curtis, said he had never heard of anything like this happen before.

"It was a freak accident. It just doesn't happen. Not a stump that big."

Mr Curtis was planning to nominate Mr Goodfellow as a top apprentice for the Eastland Wood Council trainee of the year award.

Mr Goodfellow's mother, Barbara Goodfellow, said her son was kind, big-hearted and "loved us all very much", while his sister Ngaire said she wished she could have said goodbye to him.

"I think we need to tell our loved ones we love them. You just don't know what tomorrow brings," she said.

Mr Goodfellow was the second eldest of five siblings.

- NZPA