A Huntington Woods public works supervisor died after a tree limb fell on him while he was clearing a storm-blocked street in the wake of strong winds, the city said. Doug Chmiel, who supervised the city's Department of Public Works, was taken to a hospital and later died. He is survived by his wife and three young children.
According to CBS Detroit, Chmiel had been clearing the road so emergency vehicles could get through when the limb struck him. In a Facebook post, the city called his death "a profound loss for the entire Huntington Woods staff and community" and said counseling and support services would be available to city employees. The city also said an online fundraiser has been created to support Chmiel's family.
Who He Was
Chmiel is listed on the City staff directory as a supervisor with the Department of Public Works. The department's web page notes that DPW handles street maintenance, water and sewer work, and tree care, which lines up with the storm cleanup work crews were performing. For more on the department's day-to-day responsibilities, see the City public works page.
Weather and Safety
High winds swept across Southeast Michigan on Friday, prompting wind advisories from the National Weather Service Detroit/Pontiac and leaving already stressed trees and limbs vulnerable across the region.
Federal safety guidance and industry data show that tree care and storm cleanup are high-risk jobs and that "struck by" incidents, including falling branches, account for many fatalities in tree operations, a hazard highlighted by OSHA. It is the kind of risk that often stays invisible until a tragedy like this makes it painfully clear.
