Marcus Gresham was doing routine cleaning and maintenance work on an anhydrous tank on Monday morning when he pulled out the plug and the gas, which can be lethal, hit his face, causing burns, said 7 Springs Farm Co-owner Mike Oliver.
The anhydrous tank apparently had a faulty valve or pressure gauge, which caused the accident, Oliver said.
Others at the scene knew how to treat Gresham’s burns, thanks to an anhydrous ammonia safety training class that 7 Springs Farm workers took in January, according to Oliver, who said the training was very important, since the workers applied water to his face and knew what other steps to take.
The other workers called Trigg County Hospital after applying water to Gresham’s face, said Oliver, who added that he took him to the hospital, where he was flown by Life Flights to Vanderbilt Hospital.
Ammonia contributes significantly to the nutritional needs of terrestrial organisms by serving as a precursor to foodstuffs and fertilizers. Anhydrous ammonia is a type of ammonia commonly used on farms that lacks any water content.
7 Springs Farms, located in Wallonia in the northeastern part of the county, is also owned by Joe, Todd and Kadonna Nichols.
