From Staff Reports

The North Carolina Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Division is investigating the death of an employee on the Biltmore Estate, Asheville television station WLOS (News 13) reported on April 4.

Jerrilyn Musachi, 66, was killed when a tree at the Asheville estate fell on her during high winds on the afternoon of April 1.

Biltmore said the tree fell during a high wind gust. Buncombe County EMS, Asheville Fire and Rescue, along with Biltmore police, received a call at 4:16 p.m. April 1 and responded to the scene. A high wind warning was in place until mdnight April 1.

The estate shared in a Facebook post that it was experiencing power outages, due to the high wind warning that was in place until midnight on April 1.

Biltmore Estate spokesperson Lee Ann Donnelly said the tree that fell on the woman during high winds was a native hemlock, which was healthy and under regular maintenance.

Biltmore Estate released the following statement after Musachi’s death:

“This tragedy is devastating to all of us on the Biltmore team and we all feel the weight of this heartbreaking event. We are offering assistance to the family at this time and providing support to our employees who are impacted by the death of their friend and co-worker.”

When the Daily Planet contacted Donnelly on April 7, she noted via email that, she could only respond by sending the newspaper a copy of an April 4 statement that was released on the Biltmore Facebook page. The statement — slightly varying from the original statement issued just after the incident --— states the following:

“It is with deep sadness that we share a tragic accident that occurred this past weekend. As a result of high wind gusts, a tree fell and fatally injured one of our employees. Our heartfelt condolences are extended to the family and their loved ones. In respect for their privacy and at their request, we are not sharing the name of our employee. We are offering assistance to the family and providing support to our employees during this very difficult time.”

Meanwhile, Asheville television station WLOS (News 13) reported that “a spokesperson with the Department of Labor said the inspection could take up to six months to complete” and that “this was the second deadly tree incident at Biltmore in less than a year.”

Regarding the previous death at Biltmore resulting from a falling tree, the Asheville Citizen Times reported, “Casey Skudin, 45, a firefighter from New York City, died June 17 when a tree fell on his SUV while he and his family were visiting to celebrate his birthday and Father’s Day.

“His widow, Angela Skudin, filed a wrongful death lawsuit, alleging in a July complaint that Biltmore was ‘reckless and grossly negligent’ by ‘failing to use adequate tree cabling supports,’ not hiring ‘competent’ arborists and not monitoring or cutting down the tree that killed her husband, among other things,” the Citizen Times noted.