Tree trimmer dies after getting trapped while working in Phoenix

PHOENIX — A tree trimmer died after getting trapped while working on a 50-foot palm tree in Phoenix over the weekend, authorities said.

Crews initially responded to call near 65th and Virginia avenues around 9:30 a.m. Saturday, according to the Phoenix Fire Department.

Coworkers told authorities part of the cut palm tree fell on the tree trimmer, leaving him unresponsive.

Firefighters used rope systems with drone technology, ladders and chainsaws to remove the man from the tree.

The patient, identified later as 43-year-old Jaime Yepiz, was taken to a hospital in extremely critical condition.

The Phoenix Police Department announced Sunday night that Yepiz did not survive his injuries.

This is an updated version of a story originally published on May 10, 2025.

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