Monday, July 28th, 2025
Man saved from pit of poultry manure
By William Kincaid
GIBSON TOWNSHIP - A 56-year-old Fort Recovery man was rescued Saturday afternoon after reportedly crashing through a floor into a manure pit at a poultry farm outside Fort Recovery.
The Mercer County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call at 1:06 p.m. of a male trapped in a manure pit at 150 Watkins Road, Sheriff Doug Timmerman told The Daily Standard, noting that details were scant as the office's computers went down over the weekend.
The sheriff's office, Southwest Mercer Fire District and Burkettsville Community Fire Department responded to the scene, according to Timmerman.
Ivan Keller was on the second story when the flooring reprtedly malfunctioned, causing him to fall into a manure pit below.
"The deputy said they had him freed by the time he got there," Timmerman told the newspaper.
Keller was transported with non-life-threatening injuries to Mercer County Community Hospital in Coldwater, Timmerman said, noting there were concerns about Keller's possible exposure to ammonia fumes.
Deadly gases produced in confined spaces such as silos and manure pits are a major local concern as Mercer County is one of the top agricultural producers in Ohio.
In August 2021, three brothers died from the toxic fumes in a manure pit on their family's St. Henry farm. The men were reportedly performing maintenance on a manure pump before the accident occurred.
A family farm safety seminar was held a few months later in response to the farm-related fatalities.
Experts said confined spaces have a limited opening for entry and exit, have poor ventilation and contain or produce dangerous air contaminants. On the farm, this can include sewers, underground pits, tanks, manure storage structures, grain bins and silos.
Manure pit gases are the biggest concern for health and safety around manure handling and storage pits, according to Ohio State University Extension office.
A field specialist and manure nutrient management said there are four main gases in a manure pit that are a cause for concern.
Hydrogen sulfide is highly toxic, smells like rotten eggs and can lead to death. Carbon dioxide is non-toxic, colorless and odorless and is a normal product of decomposition. Ammonia smells like urine. It can irritate the eyes and in high concentrations can cause shortness of breath. Methane is odorless and highly explosive, according to the presentation.
One of the experts stressed the importance of ensuring proper ventilation before entering a manure pit or a silo. It's also important to do such work with another person.
When someone calls 911 for help, they should be specific in what they need and where the emergency is located on the farm. Farmers should also be mindful of the fire department's response times.
