(Stanton, Iowa) – In an update to a report posted by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Friday evening, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said a man from Villisca was flown to a trauma center following a bridge collapse on a private drive Friday morning, northwest of Stanton. 53-year-old Clint A. Means suffered serious injuries after the dry floater fertilizer spreader he was driving fell through a bridge an into the Tarkio River. He was last reported to be in serious, but stable condition.

According to the report, Means was operating a John Deere F4365 dry floater when the machine fell through the bridge, trapping him inside. The floater ended up on its side in the river facing west. Means was extricated from the operator’s station of the equipment.

The machine, owned by New Cooperative, sustained an $75,000 damage. Damage to the bridge, owned by Darren R. Barkman, of Stanton, was  estimated at $150,000.

The DNR earlier stated the collapse caused a fertilizer spreader to enter the waterway, resulting in an unknown amount of mono ammonium phosphate (MAP), sulfur, and potash being spilled into the Tarkio River approximately one mile north of Stanton. The collapse also ruptured a fuel tank, spilling roughly 100 gallons of diesel into the creek.

Bridge collapse near Stanton (DNR photo)

Field office staff from the Department of Natural Resources were on-site, Friday, collecting both upstream and downstream samples from the Tarkio River. Booms were placed downstream of the incident and samples will be submitted to the State Hygienic Lab for analysis. No dead fish were observed.

Cleanup efforts were underway. The DNR says it will continue to monitor cleanup efforts and consider appropriate enforcement action.