A tree-felling job at a Silverton residence ended in a medical emergency when a man in his 40s fell from a ladder and was impaled on a palisade fence, reports Pretoria Rekord.

The incident happened at about 13:00 on Saturday (October 31), leaving the man with severe injuries to his right arm and shoulder.

Pretoria Volunteer Emergency Services (PVES) practitioner Etienne van Rooyen said the man fell onto the fence, which was near a swimming pool.

“He was busy with tree felling at a residence in Silverton when he fell from a ladder onto a palisade fence,” Van Rooyen said.

The fence penetrated the man’s right arm, extending from his bicep towards his upper arm and collarbone.

Van Rooyen said PVES members assisted with his treatment, including bandaging and preparing him for transport, while medical personnel worked to stabilise his condition.

The man was in severe pain, and paramedics struggled to establish intravenous access through a peripheral vein. A jugular IV line was eventually inserted, allowing medication to be administered to control bleeding and relieve pain.

A Netcare ambulance arrived shortly afterwards. The patient was carefully stabilised on a vacuum mattress before being transferred to a stretcher for urgent transport to hospital.

The receiving hospital was notified in advance so its medical team could prepare for his arrival.

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