First responders from across Central Pennsylvania responded Saturday morning to a silo collapse in Annville, which left one person dead.
A 911 call was made on April 27 just after 11:30 a.m., reporting that a silo and part of a barn had collapsed at a farm along the 900 block of Mount Pleasant Road in South Annville Township. The roughly 70-foot-tall silo was full, and able to hold about 600 tons of material.
As of now, it is not known what caused the silo to collapse.
Annville Cleona Fire Department said the initial 911 caller reported that the silo had collapsed while a man was working inside to level the silage.
Annville Cleona, a joint force consisting of Cleona Fire Company and Union Hose Company of Annville, was initially assisted on scene by Citizen’s Fire Company of Palmyra, Campbelltown Fire Company, Lebanon County Hazmat, and Lancaster County Rescue Taskforce.
“As the scene unfolded, further emergency and heavy equipment support was urgently requested,” said Annville Cleona Fire Department in a statement.
Rescue teams from across the area responded to the call, including the Blue Rock Search and Rescue Team, York Advanced Tech Rescue, the Harrisburg Fire Collapse Team, the Lancaster County Building Collapse Unit, and several K-9 units.
“Regrettably, what began as a rescue mission transitioned into a recovery effort when a body was discovered within the silo by a K-9 unit at 1:10 p.m.,” the statement said. “Despite the challenging circumstances, dedicated personnel worked tirelessly for seven hours to ensure a safe recovery.”
South Annville police told LebTown that emergency crews were still working the scene as of 8 p.m. Saturday.
Annville Cleona said the incident took an emotional toll on loved ones of the victim and emergency responders, and it offered gratitude to the “collaborative response” to the tragedy which “drew upon the expertise of some of the region’s finest rescuers, spanning Lebanon, Lancaster, Dauphin, and York Counties.”
The Villa Dale Farm, a third-generation dairy farm, is located at the address of the emergency. The name of the deceased has not yet been released.
“The ACFD offers our sincere condolences to the family and friends affected,” the statement said. “Our thoughts are with them during this difficult time.”
According to a review of Lebanon Daily News archival coverage, the event appears to be the first recorded death from a silo collapse in Lebanon County.
Based on the most recent U.S. Bureau of Labor & Statistics data from 2022, farming is the deadliest occupation in the country, with 23.5 fatal work injuries per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers annually, compared to a nationwide average for all occupations of 3.7 fatal work injuries per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers.
Last year, there were 33 known farm and agricultural fatalities in Pennsylvania, according to Penn State’s Extension Ag Safety & Health program.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article misstated the amount of silage. The silo was able to hold about 600 tons, not 600 pounds as originally stated.
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