An Adair resident was injured late Friday night and had to be transported to Guthrie County Hospital after a bridge collapsed about four miles north of Guthrie Center while he was pulling anhydrous ammonia tanks with his John Deer tractor.

According to the Iowa State Patrol, 34 year-old Michael Haag, of Adair, was traveling north over the bride on Oak Avenue that crosses Brushy Creek around 8:20 Friday night, when the bridge collapsed as Haag’s tractor neared the north end of the bridge.

Haag’s tractor was drug down into Brushy Creek along with the collapsed bridge.

The accident report says the Guthrie Center Fire Department responded and quickly secured the anhydrous, preventing any major leaks.  Guthrie Center Fire Chief Doug Kent says his department shut off the valves on the anhydrous tanks to prevent any major leakage though the tanks are still in the river.  Kent says Haag’s tractor is still in the creek also, and cranes will be brought out sometime over the next couple days to drag it out.

Haag was transported to Guthrie County Hospital by Guthrie Center Rescue to be treated for minor cuts and bruises sustained in the accident.  He was released after a short stay late Friday night.

In the aftermath of the bridge collapse, whatever amount of anhydrous ammonia did leak from the tractor’s tanks has had an impact in Brushy Creek.

According to a release from the Iowa DNR, dead fish have been discovered downstream from where the two anhydrous tanks fell into Brushy Creek.  The fish along with elevated ammonia levels were found as far downstream as Monteith, approximately five miles southeast of Guthrie Center.   

Environmental specialists from the DNR did not find any dead fish or elevated ammonia levels on the South Raccoon River early this morning.  DNR officials are expected to remain on scene for much of the day.

Raccoon Valley Radio will bring you more information about this story as it becomes official.