It requires more force to pull out a 180-pound person than a wooden disk. One devastating example of that force occurred when a man was submerged in grain up to his neck. Rescuers believed ropes would keep him from sinking farther into the grain while they emptied the rest of it from the bottom of the bin. However, the force on the rope was so great that two men could not hold the man's head above the grain. He was buried deeper and suffocated before the grain was removed.
Investigations reveal that some victims ingest grain.
During submersion, grain will flow into voids and openings, such as the mouth or nostrils. In some cases, grain has been found in victims' stomach, lungs, and throat. Suffocation also occurs when the victim is no longer able to inhale air. Pressure in a grain mass can restrict a person's ability to breathe. This happens when the chest cavity and diaphragm shrinks as a person exhales, and grain quickly flows around the body, filling any areas that are voids.