Ten workers injured while constructing dairy barn near Summit

SUMMIT, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - According to KWAT News, large collapsing rafters injured multiple workers who were constructing a dairy barn.

According to the report, the incident happened on Monday afternoon southwest of Summit. Of the ten people injured, five were taken to Prairie Lakes Hospital in Watertown, three to Milbank, and two to Webster. One of the workers sustained critical injuries.

“Initial call was just a structure collapse that was in the process of... that was in construction, multiple people trapped inside,” said Grant County Deputy Sheriff Wesley Bowsher. “By the time I got here, I was probably third or fourth on scene. There was no one left trapped in the, in the building, there was few with injuries and then the ambulance came and took them off. We’re still unsure of what caused the collapse.”

Bowsher says the investigation will be turned over to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to determine what caused the collapse. The federal agency will also determine whether any fines will be levied against the construction company building the barn.

Multiple agencies from across northeast South Dakota responded, including the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, Roberts County Sheriff’s Office, SD Highway Patrol, Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, Summit Fire Department, Welmont Fire Department, South Shore Fire Department, Grant Roberts Ambulance all out of Millbank, Sisseton, and Ortonville, the Day County Ambulance, Watertown Ambulance, and some Watertown Fire Rescue.