LOGANSPORT, Ind. — Emergency personnel rescued a worker from a grain elevator just before his head was covered by corn.
Logansport Fire Chief Mark Strong said the initial rescue team feared that a wrong move on their part might cause the worker to suffocate.
About that time the Cass County Fire District arrived with a ladder truck, and members from both fire departments secured the man with ropes from the side and from above.
Juan Cadillo had entered the 70-foot silo, which was only about a third filled with corn, when the grain stopped flowing. But Duane Dietrich, who owns the farm, said it suddenly began flowing again.
“It just broke loose, and all at once I realized I had to shut things down,” said Dietrich, who then called emergency responders for help.
Adding to their worries, said Strong, was a fear that if rescuers cut open the silo, it could trigger an explosion of grain dust.
Quick and coordinated action by the response teams was a “life saver,” Strong said.
