A Fijian national was sucked into a woodchipper in a school playground in Sydney, Australia, on Saturday, according to reports.
Three workers were trimming trees and depositing the branches and leaves into the woodchipper outside Cromehurst School in Lindfield at around 8.30am on Saturday morning, as reported by the Sunday Telegraph.
Samuela Cirivakayawa was said to be putting branches into the chipper when his workmates went to find someone to move a vehicle which was obstructing their work.
When the two Arbor Tree Group colleagues returned, 40-year-old Cirivakayawa was missing and a pool of blood lay where he had been standing in front of the woodchipper.
His two colleagues immediately notified emergency services and police quickly arrived and cordoned off the area.
As per The Sun, a New South Wales police spokesperson said:
A 40-year-old man died on Kochia La, Lindfield, outside Cromehurst School on Saturday morning in a workplace incident.
A crime scene is in place and SafeWork NSW has been notified.
Now, SafeWork New South Wales is said to be assisting police with their investigations.
A report will be prepared for the coroner to determine the events which caused the Fijian national’s death.
The company Cirivakayawa was believed to work for, Arbor Tree Group, is yet to comment on the incident.
Rest in peace, Samuela Cirivakayawa.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677.
Emma Rosemurgey is an NCTJ trained Journalist who started her career by producing The Royal Rosemurgey newspaper in 2004, which kept her family up to date with the goings on of her sleepy north east village. She graduated from the University of Central Lancashire in Preston and started her career in regional newspapers before joining Tyla (formerly Pretty 52) in 2017, and progressing onto UNILAD in 2019.