Man trapped on palm tree rescued

PHOENIX, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- Firefighters in Phoenix rescued a man trapped near the top of a palm tree as he was being crushed by a heavy piece of the tree, authorities said.

Capt. Frank Salomon of the Phoenix Fire Department said the unidentified man had been chopping off dead branches Wednesday when a large piece of the tree fell on the harness he wore, pinning him 20 feet up in the tree, KPHO-TV in Phoenix reported.

"Most people don't realize when you get this incredible ring, and they call it a ring, when it lands on somebody, it's an incredible amount of weight because it's years of old material that's been accumulating in this palm tree," Salomon said. "Once they release the pressure, all that weight comes down."

Firefighters were able to free the man using a ladder and hand tools. The man never lost consciousness during the extraction and was able to communicate with his rescuers, Salomon told KPHO-TV.

Following the rescue, the man was taken to a hospital with unspecified injuries.