A Story County resident died Monday after a farm accident. Three Story County Sheriff’s Office deputies and a firefighter sustained minor respiratory injuries Monday afternoon while assisting the man, who had become trapped in a grain bin.

Chief Deputy Gary Foster said the man, age 72, was loading grain into a truck with two other men and climbed into the bin when the auger they were using malfunctioned. The two men heard the victim yelling, and called 911 around 3 p.m. when they found him buried in grain. The incident occurred at a farm west of Shipley.

“He wasn’t very far under the surface of the grain. It’s unknown exactly for sure what happened,” Foster said.

He said firefighters from Nevada and Colo responded to the incident, along with Story County Sheriff’s deputies.

“On their arrival, some of the men went into the bin, including two of the deputies, in an effort to rescue the man,” Foster said.

He said it took responders about 30 minutes to dig the man out. The man, who was unconscious when deputies arrived, was transported to Mary Greeley Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries. The name of the man is being withheld.

Lt. Dave Lekwa, Deputy Kevin McKinley and Deputy Danny Watson were transported to Story County Hospital after inhaling grain dust, but were not seriously injured, Foster said.