ATHENS — An Athens firefighter who previously worked as a firefighter in Hall County is dead after he was injured in a tree-trimming accident.

The Athens Banner-Herald reports firefighter Matt Hughes was killed Monday. Athens-Clarke County Fire and Emergency Services said in a statement that Hughes was helping a friend trim trees when a limb fell and struck him.

Hughes was formerly employed with Hall County, between October 2013 and June 2014, according to Hall County human resources.

The statement posted on the Athens-Clarke County fire department’s Facebook page Tuesday said Hughes was off duty at the time and called his death a “tragic accident.”

The fire department said Hughes died after he was taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville.