"He wasfantastic. He was a nice guy who would do anything for you. He was our courier driver here. It was a shock to hear such an accident had occurred. We used to talk to him pretty much daily.
"Our condolences go out to the family of the gentleman that was killed ... It's a very upsetting time for them. It's a shocking accident and unfortunately they are all a bit too common, these farm accidents we see about the place".
Waimate Volunteer Fire Brigade Chief Fire Officer Duncan Lyall also knew the man and described him as a "good fellow", but declined to comment further.
A family member of the man contacted by the Otago Daily Times yesterday declined to comment.
The man's name and age are yet to be formally released.