Farmer buried alive as snow causes roof to collapse

An Aberdeenshire farm manager was saved by a layer of manure when heavy snow caused his cattle shed roof to collapse.

Willie Auchnie of Edinglassie Mains farm, Glass, was buried beneath tonnes of snow and metal on Thursday (7 January) after a barn roof collapsed while he was helping move 400 cattle.

Other farm hands managed to escape after the roof began to crack, but Mr Auchnie could not get out before the 60ftx30ft shed collapsed.

Rescuers dug with their bare hands for 30 minutes to free Mr Auchnie before he was pulled from the wreckage.

He was taken to Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin, where he was found to have escaped with just a suspected broken arm and broken collar bone.

Malcolm Hay, the farm’s owner, said Mr Auchnie was probably cushioned by the foot-thick layer of manure which covered the floor of the collapsed barn, saving his life.

“He is the luckiest man alive,” Mr Hay told The Scotsman. “We thought we had lost him.”

He said because of the danger posed by heavy snow on the roof of the barn where the herd of Aberdeen Angus cross cattle had been sheltering, Mr Auchnie and other farm workers had tried to drive the animals to safety.

“The shed was full of cattle so the snow would have been melting all the time but there was very heavy snow fall again overnight and the snow is 5ft deep round the shed.

“My guys were in the shed chasing them out when the roof started to collapse. Unfortunately my farm manager didn’t get out and was caught in the roof collapse.”

Mr Hay said all the animals had been taken out of his farm’s modern sheds, as it did not appear modern box framed sheds could cope with such heavy snow.

At least one calf was killed in the collapse but the bodies of more animals are feared to have been buried.