BREAKING NEWS UPDATE: Sheriff identifies victim of grain bin accident

The Steele County Sheriff’s Office has identified the victim of Thursday’s grain bin accident in Hope.

Paul Jasper Frantum, 36, of Pemberton died after being suffocated by grain at the Crystal Valley Grain Terminal in Hope, the sheriff’s office said.

Assisting the sheriff’s office were Blooming Prairie Fire, Ellendale Fire, Owatonna Fire, Waseca Fire, New Richland Fire, Mayo Ambulance, North Air Care and the Steele County Coroner’s Office.

Sheriff Lon Thiele said several local residents also assisted by providing payloaders to remove the grain in an effort to recover Frantum’s body, which took several hours.