Like quicksand.’ Kentucky farmer rescued after becoming engulfed inside bin of soybeans

January 27th, 2022, A farmer was rescued after becoming trapped in a grain bin in Casey County Thursday night. The man was working inside the bin next to his home when he got stuck in the soybeans it contained, said Jon Harris, a spokesman for the Liberty-Casey County Rescue Squad. “You can’t overcome it on your own,” Harris said. “It’s like quicksand. The more you move, the deeper you sink.”

When the Brush Creek Volunteer Fire Department was called at about 5:15 p.m., the man was up to his knees., and by the time they arrived about 10 minutes later, he was up to his waist in beans, Harris said. The Liberty-Casey County Rescue Squad, along with the volunteer fire departments from Brush Creek and Liberty, placed molded plastic tubes around the man to absorb the weight from the grain, Harris said. Emergency crews from other counties were also prepared to help if needed.

Once the man was stabilized and the sinking process stopped, a rescue auger was used to remove the soybeans around him., Harris said. He said the rescue took about three hours, and though the longtime farmer lost a boot in the process, he was otherwise fine. “He put a new pair of boots on,” Harris said. “He went right back to work.” Harris said that once the grain gets past the ankles, it’s nearly impossible for a person to get free on their own. “There’s so much downward pressure on you,” he said.

He said that’s why specialized equipment like the tube is needed. “You put rescuers in there to get the person out, and you put more weight on them,” Harris said. Often, he said, people struggling to free themselves will become panicked. When the grain gets up to the chest, he said, people may asphyxiate because of the pressure. “Even expanding your chest, you can’t,” he said. Harris said that if someone becomes stuck in a silo alone, the best thing to do is remain still and wait until someone notices you are missing.

“The more your struggle, the worse it’s going to get,” he said. Purdue University, which tracks grain bin accidents, said there were at least 35 instances of grain-related entrapment in 2020, and 20 of them were fatal. An awareness campaign, Stand Up 4 Grain Safety Week, seeks to educate farmworkers about safety around the grain. Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles tweeted about the incident Saturday morning, saying “Incredible! Thank you to our first responders. This is why we promote and cross-train grain rescue techniques with our Farm Safety program! God Bless!”

Incredible! Thank you to our first responders. This is why we promote and cross train grain rescue techniques with our Farm Safety program! God Bless! https://t.co/STp0W46L74

— Ryan Quarles (@RyanQuarlesKY) January 29, 2022