In June and July 1989, a total of seven farm workers in two separate incidents died after they were asphyxiated by methane gas in manure pits.
Brief reports follow.
While in the pit, he was overcome by lack of oxygen and collapsed. His brother apparently saw him collapse and entered the pit in an attempt to rescue him. The brother, too, was overcome and collapsed inside the pit. Four hours later, another family member discovered the two men, and the local fire department was called to rescue them. The coroner's report attributed the cause of death in both cases to drowning, secondary to loss of consciousness from methane asphyxia.