Officials: Farmer Accidentally Buried Alive In Ditch
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Carver County officials say a 78-year-old farmer was accidentally buried alive in a ditch Sunday while working to install a drainage tile.
Dennis Peter Lenzen, of Dahlgren Township, was working in a ditch off County Road 43, south of Highway 212, when the accident happened, Sheriff Jim Olson said.
An investigation showed that another man, an employee, had pushed dirt into the ditch to hold the drain and accidentally covered Lenzen, who was standing in the ditch.
The man called for help, and tried to dig Lenzen out with his hands.
When emergency crews arrived, they tried to revive Lenzen, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The incident remains under investigation.
