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Huntington Woods worker killed by falling branch
High winds caused a large tree branch to fatally strike a loving married father of three in Huntington Woods.
(FOX 2) - A Huntington Woods family is crestfallen after their father was killed in a freak accident tied to high winds that swept through Metro Detroit over the weekend.
Doug Chmiel was a beloved member of the community and the kind of man any city department would want on their team, the mayor said.
And while the sting of losing their dad won't go away anytime soon, the Chmiel family knows they have an entire foundation of support to keep them going while they get back on their feet.
The backstory:
When a High Wind Advisory went into effect around Southeast Michigan, people reported outages, broken tree branches, and more.
In Huntington Woods, the Department of Public Works team was put to work, with supervisor Doug Chmiel being called form his Farmington Hills home and responding to an obstructed roadway.
"He was home with the kids and got a call to go in to take care of the emergency services," said his wife Dawn Chmiel. "The next thing I knew I got a phone call from the hospital and they had said that they were trying to resuscitate him."
According to the city, the high winds that were continuing to blow as Doug was working knocked off a tree branch, causing it to fall on him. Public safety and emergency crews performed CPR at the scene before Chmiel was rushed to the hospital.
Dawn said she made it just before he died.
"And I got there a few minutes before he passed. I was able to be with him," she said.
Local perspective:
The unexpected tragedy has left the family reeling.
Doug leaves behind a devoted wife, three children, and an extended family that are trying to cope with the shock.
"My children miss their father very very much, but we are surrounded by an amazing community of support — family and friends," said Dawn.
His kids said he lived his life the way that everyone would value.
"He was always helpful whenever any of us needed anything or anyone in the neighborhood," said Penelope Chmiel, one of his daughters.
"It’s really sad that he’s gone. He loves to do everything basically. He really loved us a lot," said Elinor, another daughter.
His 7-year-old son Griffin had to play his first hockey game without hs dad in the stands to watch.
"He taught me how to play hockey. I really loved that about him," said Griffin Chmiel.
Doug Chmiel and his family. Photo courtesy of Chmiel family.
Zoom out:
Mayor Bob Paul showered Doug with praise too.
"He was one of those employees that every city would want to have on their DPW crew. He was well respected by the other employees, had a great work ethic, always willing to volunteer," he said.
The city is reviewing whether new protocols should be in place to avoid more injuries in the future.
Michigan's worker safety group is also evaluating the response, releasing a statement:
"MIOSHA has initiated an investigation of the incident that occurred in Huntington Woods on March 13, 2026. MIOSHA cannot provide information on an open investigation. Typically, this type of investigation may take several weeks or months to complete."
What you can do:
A gofundme has been set up to support Doug Chmiel. Find it here.
The Source: Interviews with family, the Huntington Woods mayor, and a statement from MIOSHA was cited for this story.