Man dies in grain bin accident near Murray

[cigaretteman]

A farm worker died Wednesday after becoming trapped in a grain bin near Murray.

Clarke County Sheriff Bill Kerns said the man entered the grain bin from the top sometime before 8:45 a.m. Wednesday to break up crust that formed on its soybeans, a practice Kerns called dangerous. The farm owner said he checked on the man after about 10 minutes and couldn't see him.

Crews from at least five fire departments assisted in the hourslong rescue mission.

Crews cut at least five holes in the bin and are extracting grain using vacuums in an attempt to free the man, Kerns said.

Kerns said he's responded to only two rescues of this type in his 31 years in law enforcement.

http://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/2015/12/16/grain-bin-rescue-recovery-murray-iowa/77419426/

 

[anon_snp6dc585nnj4]

Farmers, would this death be from suffocation or crushing?

 

[IACub]

Farmers, would this death be from suffocation or crushing?

Suffocation. It's like drowning in a solid.

 

[fredjr82]

Still remember the story awhile back about the son who fell in and the father who went in after him. Both died. I'm sure it was instinct more than anything for the father to go in after the son went under. For some reason that story always stuck with me.

 

[HIWB]

Suffocation. It's like drowning in a solid.

Yep. And you don't have to be in as deep as you think.

 

[ICHawk-I]

Suffocation. It's like drowning in a solid.

This.

As a volunteer firefighter in rural Iowa we have special equipment for this but we've learn this is more a recovery than a rescue. We're told that most people go under and get corn in their nose, and then start gasping and get corn in their mouth and then they basically choke.

We've also been told of instances where people have survived hours under the corn. We were advised that if you were to ever go under pull your shirt up over your nose.

 

[unIowa]

Awful awful stuff.

 

[QChawks]

T's and P's

we are all farmers today

 

[swagsurfer02]

The practice of trying to get the crust to break is called "walking the grain". When a void is below the crust and it finally breaks the person fills that void. They do essentially drown in the material. If the person does survive they still may die from clots that form in the extremities due to the immense pressure the grain is putting on the body.

Almost happens annually. I've often thought that this is the worst way to go.

 

[IACub]

The practice of trying to get the crust to break is called "walking the grain". When a void is below the crust and it finally breaks the person fills that void. They do essentially drown in the material. If the person does survive they still may die from clots that form in the extremities due to the immense pressure the grain is putting on the body.

Almost happens annually. I've often thought that this is the worst way to go.

Seems like there'd be a better way to break the crust.

 

[swagsurfer02]

Seems like there'd be a better way to break the crust.

There is, they could use poles so they can hang on to one end. The auger in the bottom continues to move. Sometimes people just don't think about this stuff. Farming in general is dangerous, from amputations to atmospheric hazards in confined spaces to flowing grain engulfment hazards.

 

[Old_wrestling_fan]

This.

As a volunteer firefighter in rural Iowa we have special equipment for this but we've learn this is more a recovery than a rescue. We're told that most people go under and get corn in their nose, and then start gasping and get corn in their mouth and then they basically choke.

We've also been told of instances where people have survived hours under the corn. We were advised that if you were to ever go under pull your shirt up over your nose.

I was in a training session one time dealing with this issue where the instructor advised that if a person were to fall into a grain bin they should take one hand and cover their nose and mouth firmly, but still leaving some space for air, so you would cupping your hand over your nose/mouth and then raise the other hand as far above your head as possible.

The raised hand would then give a rescuer something to see and/or grab you by to pull you out. As has been said, if you can keep your wits about you and don't swallow and breath in the grain right away...you have a fighting chance to be rescued. However, that is much easier said than done when I am sure a person would naturally be panicking when they realize they are being buried by loose grain.

 

[moral_victory]

T's and P's

we are all farmers today

 

[ghost80]

Suffocation. It's like drowning in a solid.

Crushing deaths were more common in the past than today. That would normally happen when the bin structure would either collapse or burst. Today the structures are both different and better made.

I am personally familiar with an instance when an overhead bin burst and a worker underneath was instantly killed by severe head trauma. At least his death was more merciful than falling in and suffocating.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

I would think there is enough air in between kernels to possibly survive for a bit if you can avoid choking.

 

[Herkmeister]

I am saddened every time I hear of such accidents. All our blessings to his family and friends.

 

[Jakeleg Jake]

Seems the same as being sucked in by either quick sand or quick mud...

 

[kcoop35]

He was from my hometown. I did not know him. But my Facebook feed is lighting up tonight with a bunch of people that graduated with him. A very sad tragic accident.

 

[kwik44]

I've been around several instances of crusted grain on the upper half of the bin that can't quite be reached from the manhole on the roof.

We don't even mess with crusted grain that isn't reachable without crawling in & immediately go to cutting a hole in the door to drain as much as we can.

Takes several more hours & sometimes a day to get where we can empty normal, but its not worth the risk.

Have been in situations closer to the bottom of being belly deep in corn, and it is one of the strangest feelings on the body that there is. Couldn't imagine being totally engulfed in it.

 

[ghost80]

There is, they could use poles so they can hang on to one end. The auger in the bottom continues to move. Sometimes people just don't think about this stuff. Farming in general is dangerous, from amputations to atmospheric hazards in confined spaces to flowing grain engulfment hazards.

When I was growing up on the farm we used a long steel rod with a ring handle welded on one end. It was small enough in diameter you could push through the grain bridge easily from the top and that would sooner or later bring it down. It was long enough it was cumbersome if you had to use it and you did need to watch for any overhead power lines (another farming hazard) but it was effective and safe.

 

[KitingHigh]

Couldn't you just put a decent sized weight on a rope and use that to break up the crust without getting in? Kinda like a wrecking ball of sorts.

 

[linkshero]

Couldn't you just put a decent sized weight on a rope and use that to break up the crust without getting in? Kinda like a wrecking ball of sorts.

This, would somebody use her, and just leave her in when they are done!

 

[CarolinaHawkeye]

Some of you older posters may know of corn pickers(as opposed to combines). A corn picker is what took my father's arm.