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The family of Thomas Stich received closure when the 50-year-old Harris man’s body was discovered below the Xcel Energy owned Minnesota Falls Dam just before noon on Friday.
Stich was removing debris atop the dam, located one-third of a mile southeast of Granite Falls, with a coworker when he fell into the waters below at approximately 1:00 p.m. Wednesday. Shortly after, his life jacket was recovered 100 yards downstream.
An extensive search for the man was lead by the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office with the aid of the Yellow Medicine County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota DNR, Granite Falls Fire Department, Minnesota State Patrol and Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, which assisted with sonar equipment.
Seven boats searched downstream from the dam until 8:00 p.m. Wednesday evening and, according to the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office, were back on the river by 9:00 a.m. Thursday morning. A crane arrived at the scene later that day and was used to hoist individuals over the turbulent waters just below the dam where it was hoped that Stich might be located and dislodged.
The search continued early Friday and it was believed that it was the efforts with the crane that allowed Stich to surface from the pull of the undertow.
The nearly two dozen family members who had traveled to Granite Falls following news of the accident expressed relief that their kin had been recovered, despite the circumstances. “You always have that sliver of hope ... but we knew this was going to be the outcome,” said Stich’s sister Mary Eaton.
Family members also commended local authorities and Xcel for their search efforts. “They were just wonderful,” said Eaton of Xcel. “...like it was their family.”
John Stich described his brother, Thomas, as an unselfish, hard worker with a heart of gold and noted that he had gone 8,000 hours on the job without a significant injury prior to the accident.
According to Xcel media representative Steve Roalstad, Thomas Stich, had been with the company for 8 years. He said the work being performed was of a routine nature, carried out annually.
“This is truly a tragedy for our employee’s family, friends and co-workers and for all of us at Xcel Energy. Our hearts go out to all who have been affected,” said a statement from the company. “Safety is our top priority, for our employees as well as the general public ... We also will be conducting our own investigation to determine the cause of the accident. “
Xcel is currently undertaking steps to remove the dam, which the company began well prior to the incident. Built in 1905, it operated as a hydroelectric dam until the late 1950s. Thereafter it served to provide a reservoir for cooling water for the Minnesota Valley Generating Plant, a coal-fired power plant built in the 1930s that operated until 2004. Since then Xcel representatives have stated that it has had no use for the dam.
The family of Thomas Stich received closure when the 50-year-old Harris man’s body was discovered below the Xcel Energy owned Minnesota Falls Dam just before noon on Friday.
Stich was removing debris atop the dam, located one-third of a mile southeast of Granite Falls, with a coworker when he fell into the waters below at approximately 1:00 p.m. Wednesday. Shortly after, his life jacket was recovered 100 yards downstream.
An extensive search for the man was lead by the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office with the aid of the Yellow Medicine County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota DNR, Granite Falls Fire Department, Minnesota State Patrol and Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, which assisted with sonar equipment.
Seven boats searched downstream from the dam until 8:00 p.m. Wednesday evening and, according to the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office, were back on the river by 9:00 a.m. Thursday morning. A crane arrived at the scene later that day and was used to hoist individuals over the turbulent waters just below the dam where it was hoped that Stich might be located and dislodged.
The search continued early Friday and it was believed that it was the efforts with the crane that allowed Stich to surface from the pull of the undertow.
The nearly two dozen family members who had traveled to Granite Falls following news of the accident expressed relief that their kin had been recovered, despite the circumstances. “You always have that sliver of hope ... but we knew this was going to be the outcome,” said Stich’s sister Mary Eaton.
Family members also commended local authorities and Xcel for their search efforts. “They were just wonderful,” said Eaton of Xcel. “...like it was their family.”
John Stich described his brother, Thomas, as an unselfish, hard worker with a heart of gold and noted that he had gone 8,000 hours on the job without a significant injury prior to the accident.
According to Xcel media representative Steve Roalstad, Thomas Stich, had been with the company for 8 years. He said the work being performed was of a routine nature, carried out annually.
“This is truly a tragedy for our employee’s family, friends and co-workers and for all of us at Xcel Energy. Our hearts go out to all who have been affected,” said a statement from the company. “Safety is our top priority, for our employees as well as the general public ... We also will be conducting our own investigation to determine the cause of the accident. “
Xcel is currently undertaking steps to remove the dam, which the company began well prior to the incident. Built in 1905, it operated as a hydroelectric dam until the late 1950s. Thereafter it served to provide a reservoir for cooling water for the Minnesota Valley Generating Plant, a coal-fired power plant built in the 1930s that operated until 2004. Since then Xcel representatives have stated that it has had no use for the dam.
