The arborist killed by a falling branch as he trimmed trees in a west side park this week has been identified as a 43-year-old father and musician.

Vancouver staff and Worksafe BC are investigating what led up to the death of Jody Taylor on Thursday – the first workplace fatality in the city in about 20 years.

“This is a sad day for the City of Vancouver. Yesterday was a real tragedy. Many people who work here are feeling the loss of Jody,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson Friday morning at city hall, where flags were flying at half-mast.

Taylor had been a city arborist for 16 years. He leaves behind a 10-year-old daughter, city staff said.

“He was a great dad, really devoted. He loved kids, he was a really amazing photographer,” said co-worker Sophie Dessureault.

Dessureault said she saw Taylor that morning at the park board office.

“He was good. He was happy. He came by, grabbed some chocolate – he emptied that bowl for me,” she said. “He was really quick to smile. He was always quick to laugh.

“It hurt us so deeply to lose him so unexpectedly and senselessly,” she said.

City records show Taylor won an award with another arborist for helping victims in a major house fire in East Vancouver in 2005. Posters on social media offered tributes to his work as a vocalist for B.C. hardcore band Strain in the 1990s.

City manager Sadhu Johnston said it’s not clear what happened on the job site. Witnesses told CTV News they heard commotion and then saw Taylor crushed by the branch while inside the bucket in a cherry picker. Taylor died en route to hospital.

“We know Jody was in a bucket truck and was undertaking a procedure he’s undertaken many times in his career. Beyond that we’re not going to get into the details today,” Johnston said.