Father, son and worker knocked out by farm tank fumes in Cloverlea

UPDATE: A FATHER and two sons remain in a critical condition after becoming trapped in a farm tank in Victoria's east.

A FATHER and two sons remain in a critical condition after becoming trapped in a farm tank in Victoria's east.

Simon Coster, 48, entered the tank to clean it with ammonia and was overcome by toxic fumes.

His sons Tim and Ash then entered the tank to save him and were also overcome.

A worker also attempted a rescue before he succumbed to the fumes, calling another son who, with other workers, cut a hole in the side of the silo.

News_Module: Cloverlea

It is believed they pulled the father and brother from the silo and the fellow worker from the tank.

Workers at the scene, as well as a policeman, policewoman and paramedic were affected by the toxic fumes and taken to hospital.

Emergency crews raced to the Coster's dairy farm at Cloverlea, near Warragul in the LaTrobe Valley, yesterday afternoon.

The three emergency workers and further three farm workers were taken to ­Warragul Hospital.

Mum Cheryl Coster left town and rushed to be with her family in intensive care.

She told the Herald Sun her two boys, Tim and Ash, had tried to save their father Simon after he became overcome with fumes while in the tank.

Ms Coster believed the tank contained corn starch syrup (used as cow feed) which had fermented for too long causing a chemical reaction.

"Simon was in there first then he come up for air," Ms Coster said.

"Tim must have seen his father collapse then jumped in and got succumbed by fumes.

"Then Ash tried to help."

She said her husband Simon, still in intensive care at The Alfred hospital, had a brain scan about 7pm "which looked good".

"We won't know until Monday how serious their condition is," she said.

"I'll be a mental and physical wreck until Monday.

"I really hope they've learned from their mistake."

Ambulance Victoria says it has treated eight patients.

Two people were flown to the Royal Melbourne hospital in a critical condition.

Another man is in a critical condition in The Alfred ­hospital.

The farm is owned by 78-year-old Robert Coster and his wife Joan, a neighbour said.

They are overseas on holiday and son Simon and his wife Cheryl were running the farm in their absence.

"It's rocked the community" the neighbour said.

"We are all very close and for this to happen is just tragic.

"We are praying everyone makes a full recovery.

"We've seen the ambulance and helicopters flying over right through the afternoon."

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