Two off-duty volunteer firefighters, one attempting to save the other, died after falling into a manure tanker at a cattle farm in upstate New York, police reported Friday.
Nathan Doody, 33, of DeRuyter, and Tyler Memory, 29, from Tully, were performing their day jobs when they lost consciousness and fell into the tanker, overwhelmed by noxious fumes inside.
Police stated that one man had tried to “retrieve a piece of equipment that had fallen into the tanker” at Champion Farms in Clinton but passed out and fell in.
According to the police, an individual had made an attempt to recover a piece of equipment that had fallen into the tanker at Champion Farms in Clinton. However, he passed out and fell inside the tanker.
According to WKTV, when the second man tried to save the first, he also fainted and fell into the tanker.
The exact sequence of events leading up to the first man’s fall remains unclear.
According to Assistant Chief Joe Nemier from LocalSyr.com, Memory had been a member of the Tully Joint Fire Department for 15 years and had joined when he was only 14 years old. As a third-generation firefighter, he had dedicated his life to serving his community.
Ten years ago, Doody became a volunteer at the Cuyler Fire Department in Cortland County.
According to Nemier, who was personally acquainted with both individuals, they had worked as drivers for manure tankers.
Located about 250 miles northwest of Manhattan, Champion Farms is a stunning 10th-generation beef and dairy farm that has been in operation since the early 1800s. Boasting 3,500 acres of picturesque land, it is a true testament to the rich history and legacy of farming in the United States.
According to the National Agricultural Safety Database, manure fumes are capable of producing toxic gases that can prove fatal for both humans and livestock if the concentration reaches a certain level.
Hydrogen sulfide is the most perilous gas, as it can lead to severe symptoms like headaches, nausea, dizziness, and even unconsciousness.
Manure pits can be deadly due to the high levels of hydrogen sulfide they produce, which can cause death in just one or two breaths.
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