2 Girls Killed, 8 Injured Detasseling Corn

Two 14 year old girls were electrocuted Monday while detasseling corn near Tampico, Illinois. Jade Garza and Hannah Kendall died, and two others (names not disclosed) were seriously injured. Six other workers treated for injuries deemed not life threatening, were part of a 72 member group working to detassel corn for Monsanto Corp out of St. Louis. Garza and Kendall were both from Sterling, Ill.

Kids have been detasseling corn for years in the Midwest. The job can pay $8-$10 an hour and does not interfere with school. It is hot, dirty work especially this year with temperatures in the 100s. Male and female corn rows are planted, and the tassels of the male corn are removed by hand. Some kids walk the rows and sometimes there is a machine that they ride.

Above ground field irrigation systems used in many fields used to be run on diesel. Many farmers have switched over to electric motors for economic reasons. The system, made of aluminum, are on wheels that move through the field, spraying water as they go. The farmer can control when the water turns on and how much it waters the ground. Monsanto said that the workers all had training and were told to walk around the irrigation systems.

A young detasseler said the ground was wet like a pond when they neared the system. He said that workers were reluctant to rush up and help the injured for fear of electrocution.

Injuries caused by field irrigation systems can range from head trauma, accidental contact with chemicals and, as in this case, electrocution. In June of 2010, Isidro Perez-Ramirez was electrocuted by a nearby irrigator while weeding a field.

Two OSHA investigators arrived at the field on Monday. It will take weeks for an investigative report to be issued.

Grief counselors have been called to the Prophtstown-Lyndon-Tampico office, Rock Falls Community Building, Morrison High School and Sterling High School. The two girls were going to be freshmen at Sterling High.

This detasseling tragedy follows on the heals of a missing worker earlier in the week. In fierce heat and humidity, six detasseling workers were taken to the hospital. It was then that they noticed a 44 year old man was missing. Rescue workers were called in and searched the field numerous times. The search was finally called off.