Published: December 10, 2008 08:32 am      

Investigation ongoing in logging death

Crews halt work as officials investigate Corbin man’s death

By Carl Keith Greene / Staff Writer

Corbin’s Aaron “Hank” Cima, 25, died Monday morning while with a felling a tree in the Virginia portion of Cumberland Gap National Historical Park.

According to Dirk Wiley of the park staff, Cima was “working with a crew of tree cutters in a historic area of the park.

“In the course of felling a tree, it struck a second tree and (the second tree) came down and struck Mr. Cima,” he said.

The incident happened around 9 a.m. Monday.

Wiley said the work was being done in a “relatively small area,” and involved the cutting of four trees “around a historic structure” near an abandoned coke/coal mine.

The work was being done on a closed trail that the park is getting ready to open to the public, “making it safe for those who will stop and visit,” he said.

Wiley called the project a “relatively technical cut.” He said an outside company was brought in to do the cut, rather than park staff.

That company was GKC Properties, based in Corbin.

A total of seven people, six on the crew and a park employee overseeing the work, were on duty when the incident occurred.

Work has been temporarily halted until the park decides what to do next, Wiley said.

The Thomas Walker Rescue Team was called to the scene and the Lee County Virginia Sheriff’s office sent an investigator, as well.

Cumberland Gap Park has taken over the investigation and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is expected to investigate also.

Cima’s body was taken to the Lee Regional Medical Center.

Hart Funeral Home in Corbin is in charge of funeral arrangements, which have yet to be announced.