Three brothers died after passing out inside a manure pit at a farm in western Ohio, officials told local outlets.
At the time of the Tuesday afternoon accident, the brothers — Gary, Todd and Brad Wuebker — were performing maintenance on a pump inside the storage pit, the Mercer County Outlook reported.
Manure pits are known to produce a wide range of toxic gases.
St. Henry firefighters received a call for help around 12:30 p.m., the paper reported, and when they arrived at the livestock operation, all three men were unconscious in the pit.
First responders used ropes and ladders to pull the men out, WLIO reported.
Two were transported to an area hospital and one was taken to a hospital in Fort Wayne, WCSM reported. Despite life-saving efforts, all three brothers died.
Farmers, particularly livestock farmers, often store large amounts of manure in concrete pits for later use as fertilizer; and these gaseous, rotting stockpiles of animal waste can become death traps, according to the National Ag Safety Database. Decomposition can result in lethal levels of gases including methane, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, carbons dioxide and monoxide, and more.
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“Since the increased use of manure pits by … livestock producers, there have been several instances where a farmer, family member, or employee has asphyxiated or succumbed to toxic gases from the pit. Cases have been reported where several individuals have died while attempting to rescue a coworker or family member from a pit,” the NASD said.
Deaths in manure pits happen most frequently in the summer months, but they’re potentially dangerous year round.
“Regardless of the season, it is always best to presume that the pit contains hazardous gases or lacks oxygen,” according to the NASD. “Producers need to take protective measures to protect themselves and others working in or around the pit.”
Source: Kansas City Star
