Two men died after falling into a manure tanker at a farm in upstate New York on Thursday, and the incident is under investigation, according to reports.
The Kirkland Police Department and the Oneida County Sheriff's Department responded to Champion Farms in the town of Kirkland in Central New York shortly after 11 a.m. Thursday after a farm employee called 911 for help. According to police, one of the men had tried to retrieve a piece of equipment that had fallen into the tanker.
"When the male went to retrieve the equipment, he passed out and fell inside of the tanker," police told WKTV-TV. When the second man tried to help, he also passed out and fell in.
Clinton Fire Department, COCVAC Ambulance and Mercy Flight all responded to the scene, and the men were transported to Wynn Hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
The men were identified as 33-year-old Nathan Doody from DeRuyter and 29-year-old Tyler Memory from Tully. They were not employees of the farm.
Both men were volunteer firefighters. Doody volunteered at the Cuyler Fire Department and Memory volunteered at the Tully Fire and EMS.
"We are saddened by sudden loss of firefighter Nate Doody. We send our condolences to his family, his work family and friends. Nate joined the fire department in 2014. Nate was a hard working family man. He enjoyed being around the fire department when he was able to," Cuyler FD wrote on Facebook Friday. "We would also like to send our condolences to Tully Fire Department and the Memory family on there loss."
The incident is under investigation.
--with reporting by TMX
