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A man died and another was airlifted to a hospital after a grain bin accident at a farm near Granville, Illinois on Monday (January 26), according to local authorities. First responders from the Hennepin and Granville fire departments were dispatched at 2:18 p.m. after a report of a possible collapse and entrapment inside a soybean-filled grain bin, as detailed in a joint Facebook statement from the departments.
When emergency crews arrived, they found one man trapped up to his chest in soybeans. Officials said he became stuck while searching for another man who had not been seen for some time. The trapped man told responders that he entered the bin to find his coworker.
Rescue teams used a grain bin rescue tube, an auger, and a grain vacuum system to free the first man, who was then airlifted for further medical treatment in Peoria. Details about his current condition have not been released.
After more than two hours of removing soybeans and working in shifts, crews found the second man dead near the bottom of the bin. The victims have not yet been publicly identified.
The rescue operation involved multiple agencies, including the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Lifeflight, and several local fire departments. The scene was cleared by 5:44 p.m., and no emergency personnel were injured during the response.
The incident remains under investigation by the Putnam County Death Investigator. Updates on the survivor's condition and the identities of the men involved are expected as the investigation continues.