By Xinhua
Washington : Five people succumbed to toxic gases from a manure pit at a dairy farm in Rockingham, Va., NBC reported.
According to the report, the deaths occurred when each person entered the pit to rescue others but were then unable to make it back.
Scott Showalter, 33, the owner of the farm, was emptying a smaller manure pit into a larger one Monday night when the transfer pipe between the two pits clogged.
Showalter climbed in the pit to fix the blockage, but was apparently overcome by methane gas.
Amous Stoltzfus, 24, who was a helper at the farm, entered the pit to help Showalter out, followed by his wife Phyillis, 34, and two daughters Shayla, 11, and Christina, 9. None were able to make it out alive.
The remains of the victims were recovered from the pit by early Tuesday morning.
Methane is a colourless and odourless gas that is produced by decomposing manure along with three other gases – hydrogen sulphide, ammonia and carbon dioxide.
In high concentrations, each of these gases may pose a health threat to humans and livestock.