17-Year-Old Penn. Boy Dies After Getting Pulled Into Wood Chipper While Working, Officials Say
Mar. 15, 2025A 17-year-old Pennsylvania boy has died after getting pulled into a wood chipper while working, according to authorities.
Isiah M. Bedocs, of Coplay, died from “multiple traumatic injuries” he suffered Tuesday afternoon when he “was partly pulled into a commercial wood chipper” on Excelsior Road in North Whitehall Township, according to a press release from the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office.
The coroner’s office has ruled the teen’s death an accident, according to their press release.
Bedocs was working for a tree removal company at the time of the accident, according toLehighValleyLive.com.
The neighbor, who wished to remain anonymous, said just the thought of the accident is “very unsettling.”
“My heart just goes out to that poor family, just what that young man went through,” the neighbor said, offering her condolences to the teen’s family.
“What a horrible thing to have happen to someone so young,” she added.
In a statement to PEOPLE, the Lehigh Career & Technical Institute said its community “is mourning” Bedocs, who was a student in the high school’s Auto Technology program.
“Our hearts are with his family members and friends as they grapple with this unimaginable tragedy,” the school said. Counselors are available for students and staff “who may be struggling in the wake of his death.”
Dr. Robert Steckel, Jr., Superintendent of the Whitehall-Coplay School District, also said counseling will be available for those in need in a letter sent to Whitehall High School families.
Whitehall-Coplay School District did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
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An investigation into Tuesday’s incident is ongoing, according to the PSP and coroner’s office.
The Bethlehem Criminal Investigation Unit and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are assisting.
source: people.com
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