DALLAS PLANTATION – A Strong man killed in an industrial accident Wednesday was remembered Thursday as a caring person, a hard worker, and someone who was always willing to help his family and others.

Mt. Abram High School graduate James “Jimmy” Lightbody, 32, died after he was hit in the chest with a 30-pound steel safety cover that was ripped from its hinges by a chipping blade, police said.

“Jimmy was always a hard worker. He had many friends and was always willing to help out his family and he loved the outdoors,” family friend, Marcus Rowe of Phillips, said. “He was doing what he loved to do and that was working with trees.”

Lightbody was working for Lucas Tree Experts based in Portland, operating a wood chipper along Camp Waya-Iwi Road in Dallas Plantation, as he and a co-worker were removing brush along the road for Central Maine Power Co., Maine State Police Trooper Scott Stevens said.

Jonathan O’Donal of Strong, Lightbody’s co-worker and roommate, who had been operating a chain saw down the road, came back and saw that the chipper was shut off and Lightbody was lying in a ditch severely injured and not breathing, Stevens said.

O’Donal called 911 about 8:35 a.m. and NorthStar Emergency Medical Services-Rangeley medics responded to the site and tried to resuscitate Lightbody but couldn’t, Stevens said.

It appears Lightbody tried to remove a metal safety shroud over the chipper blade while it was still turning, Stevens said. The blade came in contact with the safety shroud, tearing it off off the side of the chipper and propelling it directly into Lightbody, who suffered extensive chest injuries, he explained.

Rangeley Police Chief Phil Weymouth responded to help Stevens at the scene. A medical examiner, a representative of U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and safety personnel from Lucas Tree Experts and CMP were also on site Wednesday, Stevens said.

Rowe, who had known Lightbody for 25 years, said the Strong native also worked with people with severe disabilities.

Rick Dorian, executive director of LEAP Inc. said Lightbody had worked for the agency that helps people with developmental disabilities for two years about five or six years ago and stayed in the field after he left them.

Lightbody’s family is very involved helping people with developmental disabilities and he was a direct-service provider when he worked for the agency, Dorian said.

“He was always fun and energetic and motivated,” Dorian said. “He always got people motivated, he said.

“After he left us, he stayed in the field and was a shared-living provider up until this week,” Dorian said. “It’s just a shocking tragedy. Jim came to us as part of his family. I feel greatly for his family.”

Representatives from OSHA and Lucas Tree Experts were not available for comment Thursday.

Lucas Tree Experts was founded three generations ago by John Lucas to help the power company complete the electrification of rural Maine and since then, the company has grown and diversified its services, moving into other states, according to its Web site.