Man dies after becoming pinned by large tree in Haverhill

A 60-year-old Haverhill man died Sunday after a large tree fell on him while he was working in his backyard.

The Essex District Attorney’s office said Michael Sughrue and his adult son were clearing tree branches in the backyard that had fallen down over the winter when the incident occurred..

Haverhill fire and emergency services responded to 159 Hoyt Road around 5 p.m. and found Sughrue pinned under a tree, which had to be cut in order to be removed.

Authorities said one large tree had snapped in half and was leaning against another nearby tree in the backyard where the 60-year-old and his son were working.

“As the man was trying to cut down the snapped tree, the supporting tree gave out and the snapped tree fell on top of him,” the DA’s office said in a statement.

Sughrue was transported to Holy Family Hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to the DA’s office.