Authorities identify man who fell into grain bin, suffocated

MONROE, N.C. — Union County authorities say a man fell suffocated when he fell into a grain bin.

Authorities said the accident happened Saturday at Baucom Services, a repair shop for trucks, trailers and similar equipment. Sheriff's Lt. Robert Rollins says co-workers were unable to rescue the man, who was identified as 36-year-old Alejandro Cortes.

The owner described the incident to Channel 9 as a "freak accident."

The call came in at 11:37 Saturday morning. Cortes was inside one of the silos doing some work when he died. He was a general laborer who had worked at the company for about four years.

Rollins said an investigator from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration will investigate the death.

WSOC