EXIRA, Iowa — Iowa DNR field office staff responded Tuesday to a report of an overturned combine in a creek northeast of Exira. Authorities say it appears the combine released approximately 30-50 gallons of diesel fuel and an unknown amount of hydraulic fluid into an unnamed tributary, which flows northwest into David’s Creek.

According to the Iowa State Patrol, the accident happened at around 8:36-p.m. Monday on 240^th Street, near Pheasant Avenue. Thirty-year-old Brent Chambers of Hamlin told authorities he was westbound on 240^th in a 2019 John Deere S780 combine with the corn head attached to the front and he was pulling the corn head trailer behind. He came upon a one-lane bridge without railings or markers and was beginning to cross when Chambers says he felt the floor begin to give way. As he attempted to lower the corn head, the south side of the structure collapsed and the combine overturned into the creek bed below, coming to rest on the driver’s side. The combine was empty and there were no load limit signs posted for the bridge. There was no report of injuries or estimate of damages to the combine or bridge. The combine is owned and was operated by Chambers Farms.

All photos courtesy Greg Richter, with Richter & Son Towing, in Atlantic.

The DNR said Wednesday an environmental contractor was handling clean-up efforts in the unnamed tributary and no sheen or fish kill was observed in David’s Creek.