We are republishing this story to raise awareness for the Mike Biadasz Farm Safety and Education Memorial Fund. To learn more, please visit their Facebook page and official website.
In a tragic and unusual accident, a Wisconsin farmer and sixteen of his cattle lost their lives when a “deadly dome of air” formed over a manure holding tank on the family farm.
Michael Biadasz, a 29-year-old farmer from Amherst, Wisconsin, succumbed to toxic fumes, likely methane or sulfur oxide, on his family’s property. The incident also claimed the lives of sixteen cattle, with thirteen dying immediately and three others succumbing shortly afterward.
According to WAOW, the accident occurred as Biadasz was preparing the manure tank to be pumped out. Warm upper air temperatures created a deadly weather phenomenon, trapping harmful gases in a dome-like layer of air that proved fatal for both Biadasz and the livestock.
Michael’s father, Bob Biadasz, who co-owns Biadasz Farms, described the incident as a “perfect storm” of rare and unpredictable meteorological conditions. The family, already grieving their loss, is now raising awareness about the risks that farmers face and advocating for safety measures to prevent similar tragedies.
When farmworkers arrived later that morning to begin pumping the tank, they found Biadasz already deceased. “The family is absolutely devastated,” Portage County Coroner Scott Rifleman shared with WAOW.
Rifleman explained to WSAW that such gas poisoning deaths typically happen in enclosed spaces, making this incident especially unusual. He pointed out that air pressure from the weather system had prevented the gases from dispersing into the atmosphere, leading to their dangerous accumulation.
