Texas grain elevator collapse kills 1, sends others to hospital

Texas authorities confirmed that one person died, and two others were sent to the hospital when two grain elevators collapsed on Independence Day. 

“Search has concluded, and one male was found deceased. Please keep the family and the town of Tynan in your thoughts and prayers,” the Bee County Sheriff’s Office wrote on Facebook.

Two grain elevators ruptured and reportedly collapsed onto two 18-wheelers and another vehicle Tuesday, KIII-TV reported. 

According to the outlet, one person was transported to CHRISTUS Spohn Shoreline by ambulance, while a second injured person was flown there by HALO-Flight.

TEXAS GRAIN ELEVATOR COLLAPSE TRAPS MULTIPLE PEOPLE: POLICE

The sheriff’s office initially said Tuesday that personnel on the scene were still actively searching for a third person believed to be trapped under the debris. 

That person was later confirmed dead around 7 p.m. local time, Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Harold Mallory told KIII-TV. 

AT LEAST 3 DEAD, 8 INJURED IN LATE NIGHT TEXAS SHOOTING

Mallory added that more than 34 state troopers responded to the scene, as well as personnel from agencies in Bee County, San Patricio, Tynan, Beeville, Alice, Skidmore, Orange Grove, Pettus, Corpus Christi, Refugio, Normanna, Sweeney Switch, George West, Lagarto, Sandia and Mathis. 

Texas Parks and Wildlife game wardens were on the scene with canines helping in the search, Mallory said, describing a “massive team effort” with “guys working as fast as they could, as hard as they could.” The incident occurred at R&R Commodities, just off Highway 369 in Tynan, KIII-TV reported. 

The identity of the deceased was not immediately released. Local reports described the person killed and two other survivors as workers at the grain silo. 

The investigation into how the incident occurred remains ongoing, authorities said.