A man was seriously injured Tuesday afternoon when he was pinned beneath a tree he was cutting for firewood in Franklin Township.

The incident was first reported at 2:30 p.m. in the 1200 block of Fairyland Road about a quarter mile west of Harrity road.

The victim was found in a wooded area to the north of the roadway trapped under a large tree. Luckily members and their equipment of the Franklin Township fire company were just a short distance away teaching a fire prevention class to a group of elementary students. Their response and arrival time was in minutes.

Firefighters were able to lift the tree from the man. He was treated at ther scene by Lehighton paramedics then flown by PennStar helicopter to St. Lukes Hospital Trauma Center in Bethlehem. Franklin Township police are investigating the incident.