"It makes me emotional just thinking about if someone would have stepped in the building," said Hog Farmer Carroll Hoksbergen.
Hoksbergen knows what happened could have been a lot worse, and he is thankful that his wife and brothers-in-law didn't die. "Other farmers have
lost a hog or a few hogs here or there with this kind of event, but ours was just to a
much greater magnitude.
So, we certainly want this to be a wake up for all farmers that are working with this right now, all across the state of Iowa, how dangerous this really is, and what a disaster it can be," said Hoksbergen.
Nearly 1100 hogs died, being overcome by hydrogen sulfide gas. Only 99 hogs survived. "It's hydrogen sulfide gas, a gas that municipal workers deal with in city sewer lines and that type of thing. Most hog farmers are aware that it's there and that you have to work with it," said Hoksbergen.
"In the manure hauling process , as we pump it out of there, out of the pits, that gas is created and usually it's vented off and with ventilation with the fans," said Hoksbergen. "We certainly try to follow all protocols, keeping all fans running, and ventilation take care of it and things to prevent this, but it can still sneak up on you," said Hoksbergen.
Comment: According to an
industry online magazine, four powerful poisons can be present in manure pits, especially in those below the ground - hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, carbon dioxide, and methane. In August, manure pit fumes killed four workers in two separate incidents in Iowa and Wisconsin.
Considering the sheer magnitude of this particular incident, perhaps outgassing
may have been a factor.
As
high levels of hydrogen sulfide builds up, such events may become a lot more common. Those working on sewer systems, manure pits or living in 'low-lying areas' may be particularly susceptible to these potentially fatal 'heavier than air' toxic fumes.
In Ireland this year
two trawler men died from hydrogen sulphide poisoning, as well as
two Dublin brothers in a sewer tragedy.
Comment: According to an industry online magazine, four powerful poisons can be present in manure pits, especially in those below the ground - hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, carbon dioxide, and methane. In August, manure pit fumes killed four workers in two separate incidents in Iowa and Wisconsin.
Considering the sheer magnitude of this particular incident, perhaps outgassing may have been a factor.
As high levels of hydrogen sulfide builds up, such events may become a lot more common. Those working on sewer systems, manure pits or living in 'low-lying areas' may be particularly susceptible to these potentially fatal 'heavier than air' toxic fumes.
In Ireland this year two trawler men died from hydrogen sulphide poisoning, as well as two Dublin brothers in a sewer tragedy.