Man dies after being trapped inside grain bin in western Minnesota

PORTER, Minn. (FOX 9) - A 27-year-old man died Tuesday morning after becoming trapped inside a grain bin in western Minnesota.

The Yellow Medicine County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to a call around 9:30 a.m. for two people who were trapped in a grain bin near the city of Porter, approximately 22 miles southeast of Marshall. 

When first responders arrived, the 62-year-old man was able to free himself, but the 27-year-old man was still trapped inside the grain bin. After an hour of trying to reach the man, they removed him from the bin and attempted life-saving measures, but he was pronounced dead. 

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The 62-year-old man was transported to the hospital and released. A rescue member was also hospitalized for heat-related injuries, no other injuries were reported, authorities said.  

The sheriff’s office did not release the victim’s name or say how the men became stuck. 

Minnesota ranked second in the nation in 2021 for agricultural-confined space-related accidents, with seven documented incidents. Iowa reported eight incidents, and Illinois reported five in the same year. Historically, Minnesota ranks third overall for the most documented incidents, according to Purdue University.