Recently, the Kamsack RCMP received a call from a complainant requesting they attend his father’s farm in Veregin.
The caller advised he had not been able to get in contact with his father for the past 24 hours and that he was worried something may have happened to him. The son reported that it was unlike his father to go missing and that when working on the family farm he was known to check the grain bins and return home.
Officers set out to the land location that was linked to the farm, and when they arrived on scene, they observed tire tracks in the snow, indicating where the vehicle had been driven.
Road tracks came up by the driveway and veered to the left by the shop heading towards the grain bins. When the RCMP members came up to the grain bins they found a pickup truck parked in the front of the silo bins. The vehicle was running. When the officers got out, they heard someone yelling. They identified that a male was stuck inside one of the silos, within the grain bin.
Officers were able to talk to the man from the ground level. The man provided his name and stated he was checking the grain bin and fell. He said that his ladder gave out the day before when he was up on top of the bin completing his checks. He said it started to get cold overnight and he had to jump into the bin at which point he realized he couldn’t get out. And his cellphone was in the truck and he wasn't able to call for help.
The members reset the ladder and were able to climb up. They determined they needed a second ladder for the man to crawl out of the top hole, as the bin was full of grain. The members got a second ladder for him, tossing it through the top. He was able to crawl up through the hole and down the ladder to safety.
The missing man was rescued from the grain bin, offered medical treatment but declined. Except for his lips having turned blue from the exposure to the cold, he felt fine and very grateful. He returned home to get in touch with his family, warm up, and very likely have a warm homemade meal!
