THURMAN - The Thurman man injured on Wednesday when a tree fell on him was listed in fair condition at Albany Medical Center on Friday afternoon.
Don Vopleus was cutting a tree in his backyard when the tree fell and he was pinned under it.
Town Supervisor Lawrence "Red" Pitkin said Vopleus is a Warren County employee in the Department of Public Works, but was on his day off when the accident happened.
According to the Warren County Sheriff's Office, Vopleus, of High Street, and his father, Cecil, were cutting down a tree in their yard when the trunk split, broke away from the stump and struck the men.
The falling trunk pushed Donald into another tree and landed on his chest. Cecil also fell but was uninjured.
Police said the victim's father and his son, Robert, were unable to lift the tree off Donald, so they cut a section of the tree off and removed it from his chest. Donald was taken by helicopter to Albany Medical Center where he was treated for trauma to his chest and head.
He was slipping in and out of consciousness after the accident, Pitkin said, and he was airlifted to Albany Medical Center.
Posted in Local on Friday, November 27, 2009 4:55 pm Updated: 11:07 pm.
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