Man, 78, dead after tree fell during ice storm cleanup near Peterborough

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Provincial police say a 78-year-old man has died after being struck by a falling tree during ice storm cleanup near Peterborough.

Police say the incident occurred Monday at a property on Burnham Line in the Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan.

Officers say a witness told them the homeowner had asked for help in clearing trees damaged from the recent ice storm.

Police say the two were both experienced in tree removal and had already felled four or five trees before the last one came down, striking one of them.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police are asking area residents to take all possible steps to ensure their safety when dealing with damaged trees and clearing their properties.

More than 32,000 Hydro One customers still don’t have power more than a week after the storm tore through central and eastern parts of the province and broke more than 2,300 hydro poles.

Among the hardest hit communities were those surrounding Peterborough and Orillia.

Hydro One says more than 4,800 crews are working to restore service.

The March 30 ice storm saw more than a million homes and businesses in Ontario experience power outages. The following days brought strong winds and heavy rain, which affected crews’ ability to do restoration work.

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