Death of Man Killed in Wood Chipper Accident is 'Suspicious'

The death of a 54-year-old man who was killed on November 12, 2017, after falling into a wood chipper, is being treated as ‘suspicious’ by police.

Detective Inspector Gary Pettiford told media on Friday, February 9, that police received information in the days following Bruce Saunders’ grisly death that it may not have been accidental. He said evidence was located at the time of death and further evidence was located during a later search.

“We’ve now reached an informed conclusion that the death of Mr Saunders is suspicious … it is being treated as a homicide investigation,” Pettiford said.

“Any death is horrific, this one in particular because the nature of it occurred. A man going through a wood-chipping machine, which is designed to spread plant material … you can imagine the scene,” he said.

Saunders and two friends had been assisting a female friend in clearing trees at the Tinana Rd property when he went through the machinery at about 7:40pm. It was the third weekend the trio had been onsite working to help the woman, whose husband had died. Pettiford said it was not unusual that a wood chipper would be used at night. Credit: Queensland Police Service via Storyful