On May 29, 2024, at 3:22 p.m., Employee #1, 26, was attempting to rescue a fellow employee who had been overcome by hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas in an underground pump house.
Prior to this incident, multiple coworkers had been working in the pump house and were exposed to H2S gas emitted from a pipe containing water with by-products from sugar beets, dirt, mud, and chemicals used in water treatment.
The victim became overwhelmed by the H2S gas, and Employee #1 was also overexposed while attempting the rescue.
