Three hunters die from toxic gas after trying to save dog from hole in Texas cornfield

Police are investigating after three people and a dog were found dead in a hole containing highly toxic gas in a private cornfield north of Elgin, Texas, in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Bastrop County Sheriff Maurice Cook named the victims as Delvys Garcia, 37, Denise Martinez, 26, and Noel Vigil-Benitez, 45, and explained that they were all from Florida and visiting a friend living in Red Rock for a hunting expedition.

Sheriff Cook said the quartet had set out hog hunting by truck late on Tuesday night when one of their dogs seemingly leaped out of the vehicle, raced off and subsequently plummeted into an open cistern in the middle of the field, located near County Road 461.

One of the visiting Floridians climbed into the cistern – essentially a buried tank intended to catch rainwater – to retrieve the animal, got into difficulties and was followed by their two companions, who unsuccessfully attempted a rescue effort.

Police were called to the scene at around 1.02am by the fourth member of the party and found the three individuals and the dog dead in the water at the base of the tank and realised that it contained hydrogen sulphide gas, which inhibits respiration and is instantly fatal to humans if inhaled in any quantity.

The gas is produced naturally from the microbial breakdown of organic matter when oxygen is absent and is often found in swamps, sewers and wells.

“There were strong fumes, similar to those of a septic tank, coming from the cistern,” the Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office (BSCO) wrote in a report of the situation posted on Facebook.

“The fumes, the stagnant water and the instability of the cistern hampered recovery efforts and prevented first responders from initially climbing into the man-made structure.”

Concerned about the fragility of the tank, the responders initially planned to dig down alongside it and breach its side to retrieve the bodies before deciding against the plan to avoid weakening its walls and making entry unsafe, electing to drain it instead.

“After the fumes and water were removed from the cistern, and the air was stabilised, a small drone was deployed inside the cistern to check the integrity of the walls,” the BSCO continued.

An officer named in the post as Investigator D Newman, volunteered to climb into the tank wearing protective clothing to retrieve the bodies with help from the Elgin Fire Department after six local diving firms refused to assist because of the presence of the gas, according to My San Antonio.

Mr Newman completed his recovery mission around 7.30pm on Wednesday, after which the bodies were taken to the Travis County medical examiner’s office for autopsies.

“It’s a hunting accident that went bad,” Sheriff Cook said on Thursday.

“It’s sad that these young people lost their lives… Our heart goes out to the families. Can you imagine if you have loved ones that come here to hunt in Texas and it ends like that?”

Police said the owner of the property recently passed away so they are seeking to track down their successor and to verify the hunting story.

The fourth member of the party, who lived locally and did not enter the cistern, has not been named.

In the wake of the tragedy, Amanda Cabrera, the wife of Delvys Garcia, has started a GoFundMe page for her late husband, writing: “He leaves behind two children and me. I am a single mother and widow now and need assistance with his funeral expenses. Anything helps please and thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

An appeal has also been launched in the name of Denise Martinez.

As of Friday afternoon, the former had raised over $17,000 and the latter more than $20,000.