18-year-old victim identified after falling into grain elevator shaft in Aylmer, Ont.

An 18-year-old man who died after falling into a grain elevator on Wednesday in Aylmer, Ont., has been identified by the business.

Aylmer police say emergency crews responded at 10:45 a.m. to Elgin Feeds Country Store, at 26 Beech St. after receiving reports that an employee working in a grain elevator lost his footing and fell into the shaft below.

The worker was transported to St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital with what police described as life-threatening injuries. He later died.

Elgin Feeds Country Store said in a post on Facebook that Ryan Laarman died in what the business called a “mill accident.”

According to the post, Ryan has been a part-time employee with the store for three years.

“Ryan was a bright light with a beaming personality who did his job with passion and enthusiasm. We pray for God’s comfort at this painful time,” read the post.

The company said that the store will be closed Thursday “to honour Ryan and give time for staff to grieve.”

The Ministry of Labour was notified following the accident and attended the scene to conduct the investigation.

In a statement to Global News, the ministry said that “grain elevators, feed and seed mills, feed warehouses and grain-seed cleaning plants are a federally regulated private sector.”

“This case falls under federal jurisdiction and carriage of the case is now with Employment and Social Development Canada,” a representative from the ministry added.

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