SALIX - A Manson man died Monday afternoon in a grain bin accident.
According to reports from the Woodbury County sheriff's office, Matthew Ball, 20, was cleaning the inside of a concrete bin at an Ag Processing Inc. plant near Salix when the soybeans shifted and he was knocked off his feet and buried. He was buried for about an hour before emergency crews could empty the bin and pull him out.
Four other workers were injured, but authorities said their injuries were not life threatening. Officials said the men were employed by a contractor working at the plant.
Ball had been working for the contractor for about a month, said Lorie Parks, Ball's grandmother, of Manson.
"He thought he found a good job and liked the travel," she said.
Ball grew up in Manson and graduated from Rockwell City/Lytton High School, Parks said. His family in the area includes his mother, Mychel Ball, his brother, Kristopher Lee, 25, sister, Samantha Ball, 19, and younger brother, Mike Ball, 16.
Matthew Ball became an uncle nearly a month ago when his older brother had a baby, Parks said. He was so happy "he was out of this world" when he was told.
When not working or with family, Ball could usually be found skateboarding.
"He'd go to Fort Dodge, Webster City, Humboldt, Spencer - anywhere there was good skateboarding," Park said.
And whether he was traveling for fun or for work, he made friends, she said.
"He loved people and people loved him," she said. "He has a lot of friends, from Webster City to Sioux City, Estherville and all over."
Funeral services are pending at Larson-Weishaar Funeral Home in Manson.
Contact Dawn Thompson at (515) 573-2141 or dthompson@messengernews.net