NEED TO KNOW
- A 16-year-old boy is dead after an accident occurred while he was operating farm equipment in Illinois on Aug. 12
- He was pronounced dead at the scene by the coroner
- The teen’s school district said he always had a “positive attitude”
A 16-year-old Illinois boy died of asphyxiation after an accident involving a piece of farm equipment in Illinois, just days before the start of school.
On Tuesday, Aug. 12, high schooler Nolan C. Kiel was operating a piece of farm equipment when the accident occurred on Virden Road in Virden, a city of 3,200 people just 25 miles south of the state capital of Springfield. When officials arrived, the teenager was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:56 a.m. local time by Macoupin County Coroner Anthony Kravanya, ABC affiliate WICS, RiverBender.com and radio station WLDS reported.
Local fire departments, an ambulance service and the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Office responded to the accident, according to WICS. After an autopsy was performed the next day, the coroner determined that Kiel died of asphyxiation, the outlets reported. An investigation is ongoing.
The Macoupin County Sheriff’s Office and the Macoupin County Coroner’s Office have been contacted by PEOPLE.
The teen was a student at North Mac High School in Virden. As his classmates and teachers prepare for the first day of school on Tuesday, Aug. 19, they’re left to mourn the young man.
The North Mac Community Unit School District honored Kiel on Facebook.
“It is with great sadness we share news of the tragic passing of North Mac High School student Nolan Kiel,” the school district said, which did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for further comment. “Nolan will be remembered by the North Mac community as always possessing a positive attitude and friendly demeanor.”
North Mac schools will have counselors available to help grieving students, the school district said.
In a separate tribute, Kiel’s former soccer club remembered the teen. He played with the North Mac United Soccer Association until he went to high school.
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“Since then, he has been a referee, and no one was more conscientious or wanted to do a better job than he did,” the association wrote on Facebook. “Just the best kid. We, along with the whole community, mourn his loss.”
A candlelight service, followed by a candlelight walk, was held for Kiel at North Mac High School on Wednesday, Aug. 13, for fellow students and the local community.
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