Local man buried by corn dies at a farm in Lebanon
March 24--LEBANON -- A South Windham man is dead after a freak farm accident that resulted in him being buried under a pile of corn Monday night at Square A Farm in Lebanon.
Donald Merchant, 54, of 1158 Windham Road, South Windham, was removing corn from a large mound using farm equipment, said state police at Troop K in Colchester.
State police did not specify the type of equipment used.
When Merchant left the equipment, the mound of corn collapsed on top of him, burying him, said state police.
Farm employees uncovered Merchant -- who was unresponsive -- and performed CPR. Merchant was transported to Windham Community Memorial Hospital in Willimantic and was pronounced dead at 4:20 p.m., said state police.
"It was a freak accident, a freak thing, there are not a lot of dangers. ( Lebanon is) very fortunate we have a large farming community and have had very few accidents," said Lebanon Volunteer Fire Department Chief John Lyon.
State police are investigating the accident.
This is not the first farming accident to happen in Lebanon within the last year.
Last September, a worker at Prides Corner Farm was injured trying to remove a steel plate from a dump truck.
According to state police, the plate hit the truck, causing the worker to fall against the truck.
The worker sustained minor injuries, said state police of the accident.
In Hebron, meanwhile, a worker was gored by a bull in October at the Schadtle Farm on Martin Road.
On Square A farm, located at 1068 Trumbull Highway, in close proximity to the center of Lebanon, there are 200 milking cows.
There are approximately 200 acres of planted corn and 50 rented acres to produce hay, according to Lebanon's web site, www.lebanontownhall.org.
Copyright 2015 - The Chronicle, Willimantic, Conn.
