Cumberland County grieves after seven-year-old boy dies after being trapped under log

Tragedy strikes again in northern Nova Scotia Cumberland Country grieving again after seven-year-old boy dies after being pinned under a large log. Sarah Plowman reports.

HALIFAX — Cumberland Country is grieving after a seven-year-old boy died after being pinned by a log on a road near Southampton, N.S., on Monday.

"The boy was out for a walk with his mother and happened to be playing near a wood pile and the wood pile shifted and unfortunately pinned him underneath," said Cpl. Chris Marshall of the Nova Scotia RCMP.

Marshall says the accident happened as the pair were walking Monday afternoon on a logging road used by the Athol Forestry Co-operative.

Southampton District Volunteer Fire Department and EHS responded. Police say the firefighters lifted the log off the boy.

"EHS began providing medical assistance at that point," Marshall said. "Lifeflight was dispatched and shortly after Lifeflight arrived on scene, the child succumbed to his injuries."

Chief Trevor Ellis of the Southampton District Volunteer Fire Department says the entire community is grieving.

"Yesterday, tragedy struck our little community. This is a truly difficult time for all. We are sending our love and prayers to the family and asking that you please keep the family, first responders, and everyone involved in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time," said Ellis.

In Southampton on Tuesday, first responders are gone from the scenenear the snowmobile club in Southampton, N.S.but the grief is not.

"I think it's important to recognize to and to really extend our condolences to the people who have been most impacted by the loss of this child," said social worker Serena Lewis.

Lewis says it's also important to recognize the cumulative effects of all of the tragedy the region has faced.

A month ago, a family of six from Amherst died when fire and smoke moved through their trailer and Monday's tragedy hits a still-grieving community hard.

"My heart is just absolutely shattered," said Tyler Allen, the father of one of the boys who died in the trailer fire. "I just lost my four-year-old son a month ago, so, I feel how they are feeling, so I want everyone to come together like they did for me."

Some in the community also have links to the shootings in Portapique.

"Are we really resourced for this level of trauma and grief?" Lewis said. "And I mean that not only for the most immediate people, but the support people that have been in place trying to hold these communities up through the multiple ways we've been facing so much trauma and loss."

The boy was a student at Parrsboro Regional Elementary.

"We are saddened by the news of the tragic passing of our student," the Chignecto-Central Regional Centre for Education said in an e-mailed statement on Tuesday. "We send our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and community impacted by this tragedy. Our priority is to support the students and staff members at Parrsboro Regional Elementary. Student support staff are onsite at the school to provide any needed support for our school community, including a school psychologist, a school guidance teacher, and a mental health clinician."