Man Killed While Discharging Sawdust from Hopper

A man died Thursday afternoon at the Conner Industries lumber yard in Valley Center, KS after he attempted to manually clear a flow issue in a hopper and became buried and trapped by sawdust, local news organizations reported. 

Crews responded after the accident occurred at about 12:30 p.m. Officials told the Wichita Eagle that the man parked his truck under the hopper and was filling his trailer with dust when the incident occurred. 

“From what we can gather, he was under there trying to knock some sawdust loose with a pitch fork and it came down on top of him,” Valley Center Police Department Sgt. Michael Gordon said in the Eagle’s coverage. 

Witnesses interviewed by television news station KAKE said the man was buried by the material. 

The man was not breathing when first responders reached him and he was declared dead on scene. Police are investigating the death as an accident. Reports did not include the deceased man’s name but noted he was in his 60’s. 

Connor Industries is a provider of industrial wood and packaging solutions for a wide range of industries, including chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, agriculture, and automotive, according to the company’s website. Lumber mills operated by the company offer a variety of wood packaging products including pallets, crates, and panels. 

For more news headlines, articles, and equipment reviews, visit our Equipment Zones