It's every farmer's worst nightmare come true.
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Police were called around 2:30 p.m. local time on Feb. 21 regarding a grain bin accident in Newton, Kansas. Three men were inside.
One man was killed after the soybeans inside a large grain bin "suddenly shifted." The contents trapped and buried the man, according to the Harvey County Sheriff's Office.
What Happened Inside the Grain Bin?
PEOPLE reports that the deceased was identified as Mark Klaassen. The 37-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene. Per police, his death was ruled an accident. The two men who were in the grain bin with Klassen were not harmed.
Klassen had four children with his wife, Kristie Harder: Dayton, 9, Carley, 7, Emmy, 5, and Breann, 3. He is also survived by his parents, Dallas and Gerri. He also had three brothers, Brad, Derik, and Cory.
"Mark cared deeply for his family," his obituary reads. "He was a member and involved with his church, Emmaus Church, serving as chairman of the Trustee board and head of the security team."
Per his obituary, Klaassen earned a degree in diesel mechanics. He was also on the Newton Township board and the Soil Conservation District.
"His heart was in farming," it also says.
The Dangers of Grain Entrapment
Grain can behave like quicksand, and someone can be pulled under in seconds and be suffocated or crushed by it. Even being buried to the waist can make self-rescue virtually impossible because of the suction and weight involved. Additionally, toxic gases, mold spores, and low oxygen levels inside storage structures can cause respiratory distress or unconsciousness before rescue.
In the United States, documented grain entrapments were significant. There were 42 total cases were recorded in 2022, and 27 in 2023, with both fatal and non-fatal incidents reported. Of those 27 cases in 2023, 16 of them were fatal.
Most entrapments occur when grain is flowing during unloading or when breaking up crusted grain. Nearly 80% of incidents involve a person inside a bin during equipment unloading.
