A Monday afternoon farming accident has claimed the life of a 61-year-old Fairfield man.

Steve Brooks died of apparent electrocution Monday evening at a farm near Ellery. According to Wayne County Coroner Jimmy Taylor, Brooks was attaching a hose to the sprayer to load more chemical when he received the fatal shock.

Brooks was apparently unaware that one of the sprayer’s booms had come into contact with a nearby power line.

The driver of the sprayer, Brian Withrow remained inside the cab of the vehicle and was uninjured as he was insulated from the electrical charge.

Taylor said Brooks apparently approached the sprayer to add more chemical when he came in contact with the energized boom. He was pronounced dead at the scene.