Farmer’s grain silo plunge remains a mystery, says sheriff
Millionaire died after falling into barley container
ONE of Scotland’s best-known farmers died of asphyxiation after falling into a grain storage tank, a sheriff has ruled.
Bruce Ferguson, who left a £3million fortune and had rubbed shoulders with royalty and top politicians, died on his farm in Turriff, Aberdeenshire, in March last year.
The former president of the Turriff Show, an annual two-day celebration of agriculture and the food industry, was found dead by his son Andrew.
He was one of Scotland’s best known farmers and escorted the Queen around the Turriff Show as it celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2014.
A fatal accident inquiry was held into his death at Banff Sheriff Court, and Sheriff Philip Mann has ruled that the 61year-old died of asphyxiation caused by submersion in the barley grain container. However, the sheriff said that how
‘Had not been seen for some time’
Mr Ferguson came to fall into the container will remain a mystery as there were no witnesses.
In a written ruling, Sheriff Mann said: ‘Mr Ferguson had been engaged in preparing some 30 tonnes of barley to fulfil an order.
‘This was an automated process involving the grain being dried in a machine before being passed along a conveyor belt and being deposited into a series of ventilation bins.
‘Directly above the bins were roof rafters which would become covered in grain during the process and which would require to be swept for general tidiness and to prevent contamination.
‘Mr Ferguson had not been seen for some time after setting off to attend to the above process. A search was conducted by his son, Andrew Ferguson, and his lifeless body was discovered submerged in grain in one of the storage containers.
‘It is not possible for anyone to say how Mr Ferguson came to be submerged in grain within the storage container.’
The sheriff went on: ‘All that can be said is that he fell into the container by unknown means and had been unable to free himself, resulting in his death by asphyxiation.’ Sheriff Mann said that Mr Ferguson had suffered a stroke in 2014 but a post mortem examination found no natural disease that might have contributed to his death.
He said he was unable to make determinations on measures which could have prevented the death because the cause of the fall was unknown. Mr Ferguson was elected as president for the Turriff Show’s 150th anniversary because of his dedication and hard work. He organised the royal visit of 2014 himself.
The farmer’s recently-published will shows that he left his £2,963,186 estate to his wife Kate, son Andrew and daughter Elizabeth.
The bulk of his fortune was made up of valuable farmland but he also had £5,000 in personal items and £70,000 in cash and shares.
Following Mr Ferguson’s untimely death, tributes were paid by politicians and leading figures in the farming community.
Former first minister Alex Salmond, then the MSP for Aberdeenshire East, said Mr Ferguson’s death was a ‘real blow’.
He added: ‘I knew Bruce well. He has done such extraordinary work as the president of the Turriff Show and, like the rest of the committee, has made it the premier agricultural show in the country at the present moment.
‘It’s really sad to hear of the death of someone who has contributed so much and, obviously, people across the North-East are going to send their best regards and condolences to Bruce’s family.’
Mr Ferguson was a member of the Rotary Club and was secretary of the local curling club.
He grew up in the town and attended the local academy, where he became school captain.
He was an architect by profession – winning the medal for best student at Strathclyde University – and obtained a scholarship to study rural aesthetics.
Mr Ferguson became a college lecturer before returning to the family’s farm.