farming family wiped out

Just got home from US on sunday morning to news that a farmer and his two sons had been killed in a slurry tank accident.His daughter was also critical in hospital. It seems the tanks had been cleared and the family pet dog had got down into what was left, the farmer in his early 50s, went in to save the dog but was over come with poisonous gases, his son went in next and then the youngest one, who had played rugby for Ulster went in to save them both, the daughter also went to help but managed to escape. This is the second such accident in our area inside 4 years, last time is was two brothers both late 20s and early 30s, fit lads but still overcome. And there have been other single cases. I know not many of you do cattle slurry tanks....but if you know anyone that does, make them aware of the danger. It is not the gas that you can smell that kills but the gas that comes from agitating the slurry and is odourless.
Sadly another grieving wife and mother....
Sam

Sad to hear about this, but could you please tell us where this is located? I live in Ulster county, NY ,but I don't know if this is where you are referring.

Popinjohn, since he mentioned the fact that he "got home" from the US, and also mentioned Ulster, I'm guessing that the laddie is from the green Island of Irrreland. Would I be close, Samn40?

Sorry, I should have said Northern Ireland. We expect everyone to know it as Ulster, But then I did not know there is an Ulster County in America.
Sam

back in my old wild and crazy oilfield days ,i worked a lot of poison gas wells (h2s) because most guys would quit. if you could smell it you were fairly safe for short periods.when you couldnt, you better hold your breath and run! amazing how fast some of this stuff can get to you. It wasnt at all unusual for guys to climb in a old frac tank to wash it without venting,to wind up dead. sad thing. even if you know the dangers its hard to not help a friend or relative.probably couldnt have helped anyway since it was unlikely they would have the right gear.

All from the lack of a life line. Very tragic.

That's really sad.
Reminds me of what happens a lot of times when someone is drowning. Others try to help and end of getting drowned themselves.

Pardon my ignorance, but what is a cattle slurry?

(quoted from post at 16:19:43 09/19/12)
That's really sad.
Reminds me of what happens a lot of times when someone is drowning. Others try to help and end of getting drowned themselves.

Pardon my ignorance, but what is a cattle slurry?

Click to expand...

sad story indeed. east texan cattle slurry is mainly from dairies usually at a dairy operation they have a manure seperater which basically seperates the liquid and solids of the cow poop the soilds come out almost sterile and are usually recycled for bedding and the liquids are usually pumped into a very large holding tank and used on the fields. look up slurrystore and you will see what the tanks look like assuming this is what the family was cleaning and not the slurry spreader.

(quoted from post at 04:48:20 09/20/12)

(quoted from post at 16:19:43 09/19/12)
That's really sad.
Reminds me of what happens a lot of times when someone is drowning. Others try to help and end of getting drowned themselves.

Pardon my ignorance, but what is a cattle slurry?

Click to expand...

sad story indeed. east texan cattle slurry is mainly from dairies usually at a dairy operation they have a manure seperater which basically seperates the liquid and solids of the cow poop the soilds come out almost sterile and are usually recycled for bedding and the liquids are usually pumped into a very large holding tank and used on the fields. look up slurrystore and you will see what the tanks look like assuming this is what the family was cleaning and not the slurry spreader.

Click to expand...

Ok, thanks Jim. I wondered if it may have to do with manure.
Is it the methane or some other gas generated in the manure concoction that's deadly?

(quoted from post at 17:46:44 09/20/12)

(quoted from post at 04:48:20 09/20/12)

(quoted from post at 16:19:43 09/19/12)
That's really sad.
Reminds me of what happens a lot of times when someone is drowning. Others try to help and end of getting drowned themselves.

Pardon my ignorance, but what is a cattle slurry?

Click to expand...

sad story indeed. east texan cattle slurry is mainly from dairies usually at a dairy operation they have a manure seperater which basically seperates the liquid and solids of the cow poop the soilds come out almost sterile and are usually recycled for bedding and the liquids are usually pumped into a very large holding tank and used on the fields. look up slurrystore and you will see what the tanks look like assuming this is what the family was cleaning and not the slurry spreader.

Click to expand...

Ok, thanks Jim. I wondered if it may have to do with manure.
Is it the methane or some other gas generated in the manure concoction that's deadly?

Click to expand...

i would assume a combo of methane and whatever other gasses get trapped in the tank, although thats a guess. i have never delt with on farm confined spaces only through my job and i was always kinda nervous going down below street level and always took way too much time to ventilate and purge and always kept my gas meter close by. they had a double fatality in a manhole years b4 i started working at that job and any manhole work was atleast a 2 person operation until recently b4 i left, now they say its ok to go into a confined space with 1 person, thats just asking for trouble imo atleast with 2 people 1 person can call 911 if theres an emergency, while if your alone and something happens it may be awhile b4 someone notices your missing.

In the early 70's liquid manure storage was becoming all the rage for dairy and hog farmers. A lot of em had a local contractor who didn't know about the dangers put em in with a new free stall barn or hog barn. The would put em in under the barn to be built to get way from an expensive pump. Just had some grates in the floor. More than a few farmers went to the barn, opened the door and got hit with the gas. If the fell forward they died and back wards they would live but with damaged lungs. Was really tuff on the families not only to loose a loved one or have em in the hospital but also their source of income with bank loans for a new barn hanging over their heads at the same time. Guy I worked for in early 74 had just put one in. I quit to join the Army, 6 months later he was dead.


I really feel for the wife and surviving daughter.

Every few years here in MN we get someone who drowns when their dog goes through thin ice. I know people get close to a pet but if they are in a manure pit (people have drowned there too), slurry pit one they went through the ice......well you gotta know when to let go.


Rick