3 Brothers Die Of Asphyxiation After Getting Stuck In Manure Pit

Three Ohio brothers have died after they got trapped in a manure pit on a livestock farm and inhaled toxic gas.

The brothers, identified as Gary, Todd and Brad Wuebker, all in their 30s, were found unconscious by the rescue crews on their family farm, WKBN-TV reported.

The village fire chief, Matt Lefeld, told CBS Pittsburgh that the brothers were fixing a manure pump when they fell into the pit and passed out after breathing in the fumes. The victims were taken to an area hospital where they were pronounced dead.

A preliminary autopsy of two of the brothers determined that they died by asphyxiation, WREG-TV reported.

Manure pits are commonly seen on livestock farms where they are used to store waste before those are recycled as fertilizers. The pit produces a number of harmful gases, including hydrogen sulfide, methane, carbon monoxide and ammonia, which can lead to headaches, dizziness, breathing trouble and even deaths, according to the Ohio State University Extension.

It's not clear how the brothers fell into the pit and how long they had been there.

In June 2020, a 2-year-old Minneapolis boy luckily survived after he fell into a liquid manure pit. The child, identified as Carter Douvier, disappeared when his parents were working on the farm and was spotted immediately inside the pit. Fire and rescue officials responded to the scene and boosted the child to safety.