Trapped man rescued from Iowa corn silo

CEDAR RAPIDS – A man became trapped in a corn silo and authorities rushed to free him before the corn overwhelmed him.

Firefighters from Cedar Rapids were called to perform a corn silo rescue of a trapped adult male Thursday afternoon at a farm on Tharp Rd SW.  The victim was trapped in corn up to his chest after a cavity below gave way and sucked the victim down into the grain.  Firefighters from Cedar Rapids and Jefferson-Monroe (Swisher) successfully employed specialized isolation panels to isolate the victim and then remove the grain trapping him.  Once freed from the entrapment, he was removed from the silo through a hole cut in the side.  He was also transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Making this rescue even more treacherous was the way the corn caved-in on the victim.  One side stayed higher than the other and threatened to engulf the victim.  Firefighters had to employ these specialized tools and an exceptional level of finesse in performing the rescue.

This was a unique effort involving Cedar Rapids Firefighters, Jefferson-Monroe Firefighters and crews from Cedar Rapids Public Works, who sent large vacuum trucks to help move the massive load of loose corn and facilitate the rescue.