Douds man killed in farm accident

KEOKUK COUNTY - A Douds man was killed in a farming accident last week in Keokuk County.

The Keokuk County Sheriff's Office issued a news release stating that it had received a 911 call at 4 p.m. July 10 about an accident that occurred on 260th Street east of Zephyr Avenue. The release states that deputies discovered a man who had died from an accident, though it does not provide any further details such as the man's name or how he died.

The Ledger has learned that the man who died was Kevin Duane Gire, 49, of Douds. A man named Russ Conger was working with Gire at the time of the accident. Conger told The Ledger that he was in a truck filling a sprayer that Conger was operating. He said the sprayer's boom had swung into an electrical line along the side of the road. Conger said he felt a great shock upon connecting to the sprayer, and when Gire attempted to step out of the sprayer, he was electrocuted.

Conger saw Gire fall to the ground. He ran over to him and began performing CPR. Keokuk County Sheriff's Office, What Cheer QRS and Keokuk County Ambulance all responded to the call.