Man killed by "silo gas" on Pennsylvania farm
A man was found dead on a Pennsylvania farm after officials said he was overcome by "silo gas."
The Garden Spot Fire Rescue in Lancaster County said in a Facebook post that first responders were dispatched for a silo rescue on Saturday afternoon.
When first responders got there and gained access to the top of the silo, they said they found the victim, who "appeared to have been overcome by gas." He was unresponsive and presumed dead, since no one had been in contact with him for hours.
Rescuers said they learned that the silo had been filled about two days earlier with "high moisture corn product." Crews used gas meters to sense nitrogen dioxide, or "silo gas," and get a baseline reading before connecting a blower to the fill pipe and getting the air moving.
The fire rescue said crews developed a recovery plan, started an entry permit and set up additional ventilation to the feed room. They continued to monitor the air as crews got on harnesses, established supplied air breathing lines and gathered hardware to retrieve the victim's body. Crews then used the chute from the feed room to get in and find the victim.
What is silo gas?
According to Penn State Extension, nitrogen dioxide is a highly toxic gas that can be released when feed is fermented in a silo. It has a strong bleach-like smell, and under certain conditions, it can be seen as fog from a distance. Experts say high concentrations will cause a person to collapse and die within minutes.