Body Recovered From Lawton Grain Elevator

Associated Press

LAWTON, OK -- Firefighters in Lawton have recovered a man's body from inside a grain elevator.

The victim was identified as 38-year-old Richard C. Hale of Lawton. His body was recovered Wednesday from the Lawton Co-op Services grain elevator.

Hale was lying unconscious in a compartment containing the mechanics for an elevator used to move grain.

Using gas monitors, firefighters detected the presence of phosphine, a toxic gas byproduct of pest control pellets used in grain elevators.

Comanche County's public information officer, Chris Killmer, says phosphine is lethal in confined spaces and must be properly ventilated to an outside area in order to dissipate the gas safely.

Lawton firefighters took precautionary measures to properly ventilate the grain elevator in order to recover the victim.