A man is killed in a logging accident in Harlan County on Tuesday.

The logging trucks are turned off at the strip mine in Holmes Mill, just a few miles from the Virginia border.

Police say Joshua Fields was working with his father-in-law on the site. The company was contracted to cut down trees for a mine company.

Chris Allen from the Harlan County Rescue Squad says Fields was operating on a dangerous slope.

"It's probably about a 45 degree angle where the mountain is an extreme degree. It's a pretty bad area to be cutting trees off of," said Allen.

"He was cutting a tree, and when the tree fell it appeared to kick back on him around that nature and strike him in the head," said Harlan County Sheriff's Deputy Charles Bailey.

Bailey says Fields was killed instantly, suffering skull and neck fractures in the accident. Police talked to family at the scene, and says the family was devastated.

"They were distraught as i would be myself. It's understandable," said Bailey.

Joshua Fields was 26 years old, and leaves behind a wife and two young sons.

Bailey says police do not believe any foul play was involved.