Farmer Dies in Grain Bin Accident
Published: Friday, August 14, 2026
The death of a man inside a Marshall County grain bin Monday is under investigation.
According to the Marshall County Coroner's Office, the victim was identified as Jonathon Hayn, who was working inside the grain bin when he was overcome apparently by smoke from burning grain.
Emergency responders about 4 p.m. found Hayn deceased inside the grain bin at a family farm in the 14000 block of Maple Road near Argos.
Family members and workers attempted to remove Hayn from the bin.
Eventually, firefighters pulled him out but he had already perished.
An autopsy has been scheduled to determine cause of death, according to the coroner's office.
Bill Field, a longtime farm safety expert at Purdue University, said grain bin fires are not uncommon and happen when corn or soybeans contain too much moisture when stored after the fall harvest.
Field said the high moisture level causes the grain to rot and while decomposing produce heat.
The heat can become hot enough to cause the grain to burn.
Field said hay and other organic material are at risk of catching fire when stored at a higher moisture level.
"If you took a bag of lawn clippings and put them in a plastic bag, the next day it's going to be hot because the biological process generates heat as it breaks down," he said.
Field said he strongly believes the victim knew there was a problem when he entered the grain bin, which probably had stored the corn or soybeans since harvested last fall.
Over time, Field said grain stored above a 14% moisture level forms clumps that stick to the inside walls.
He speculated Hayn was breaking up those clumps so the grain can pass through the auger so the silo can be emptied to either put out the flames or sell the grain.
"I've been on a bunch of silo fires in my career and every one of them knew there was something going on. It was hot. They could smell it," he said.
Field said the best thing to do when discovering burning grain is allow strictly firefighters to handle the situation since they have breathing equipment and, often, training to safely address those situations.
He said one of the best ways to prevent grain bin fires is to store corn and soybeans when they're basically dry.
"If stored at the proper moisture level, you can store it for two to three years," he said.
Field also recommends farmers fix any leaks they might have in their grain bins to keep out the moisture.
Farmers should also not turn on their aeration fans on a rainy day to prevent moisture from being sucked into their grains and absorbed by the grain.
Field said Indiana led the nation last year in grain bin entrapments, with some of those ending in rescues.
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