A Lake Hallie man is dead after falling into a septic tank and drowning.

Deputy Fire Chief John Andersen with the Chippewa Fire District says 82-year-old Richard V. Powell was submerged for somewhere between 35 and 55 minutes. He says the man's wife went to check on him, saw that he was stuck and called 911.

The Lake Hallie Police Department says officers were called to the home on 139th St. just before noon. Sgt. Ken Taylor says the man was working on his sewer system when he fell in.

Chippewa County Coroner Kay Gerrits says the man fell in head first and drowned.

Andersen says crews had difficulty getting the man out because he was stuck in a cross pipe and only his calves and feet were not in the tank.

He says the dive team was called, but because the entrance into the tank is only about two feet in diameter, there was no way to get into the tank to help him.

Once crews pulled the man out, they performed CPR and he was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital in Chippewa Falls.

Andersen says Powell was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Andersen tells us eight to 12 people die every year in septic tanks in Wisconsin. He says if you have problems with yours, call a licensed professional. They're trained to deal with dangerous chemicals and the confined space.

He says the WI Department of Commerce and county zoning departments also have experts on hand that could help with your questions.