CASTLETON TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Robert Othmer, a 72-year-old man from Vermontville, died after he was trapped inside one of the grain silos on his farm Thursday morning.
According to WOODTV, Othmer and other family members were unloading grain from the silo when the fatal incident occurred.
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Authorities believe his safety harness may have failed and he was pulled into the grain, which filled about half of the silo. He was under the grain for about 20 minutes before he was pulled out.
The silo was estimated to contain between 900,000 and 1,200,000 pounds of corn.
Police said first responders cut holes in the side of the silo to drain as much corn from it as possible, but when they reached Othmer, he was already dead.