A Cumming man was killed in a tree-cutting accident Tuesday evening in southern Dawson County.

Coroner Ted Bearden said Christopher Bartlett, 28, was attempting to cut down the top of a tree at a private residence off Hwy. 9 South when the branches swung around and pinned him against the tree trunk.

"It was a very tragic accident," Bearden said.

Dawson County Emergency Services Director Billy Thurmond said the incident occurred around 6 p.m. on Alexis Way.

"He had two helpers on the ground, but they didn't see what happened because they were on the other side pulling a tension rope," he said. "They had been hired to cut the oak tree down."

Crews from Forsyth County's rescue unit and Sawnee EMC were called in to assist Dawson County Emergency Services in extricating Bartlett from the tree, which took about two hours.

"Because of the fact that he was about 35 feet up in the tree, we had to have equipment that would allow us to get to him," Bearden said.

According to Bearden, Bartlett owned a tree and landscaping service based in Cumming.

Check dawsonnews.com for updates.