Amish man dies after falling from a barn roof near Milverton

By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com

A man has tragically died after falling from the roof of a barn in Perth County. The incident happened just after 3 p.m. on Thursday [Sept. 4] on a farm property on Road 140, west of Milverton, Ontario.

Police say that the man fell about nine meters to the ground, and was pronounced dead at the scene. While his identity has not yet been released, a local source close to the situation says that the man was Amish and was probably in his late 40s or early 50s.

The barn was under construction at the time and the unidentified man was believed to be volunteering his time to help with the construction project.

Background

Milverton and the surrounding area is known for its farmland and rich Mennonite and Amish culture. It is common for Amish and Old Order Mennonite communities to help with “barn raising,” providing unpaid labour to assist in the building of their neighbours’ barn. Acts of volunteerism are common among the religious group.

Agriculture is considered one of the Canada’s key industries, but it can also be dangerous. The most current statics show that between 1900 and 2005, there were 1, 769 reported farm-related deaths, with 91.6 percent of the persons who died in agriculture-related events being male.

List of the most common locations of farm injuries in Canada:

• Farm fields and ditches – 25.8 percent
• Farm yards – 19 percent
• Public roads and ditches – 14.6 percent
• Barns – 8.4 percent

(Source: Heath and Safety Ontario)