May 5 (Reuters) - An Illinois farmer who disappeared while working to unclog a grain bin on Monday afternoon was found dead inside, according to local media.
The man was identified as Leon Madey of rural Genoa, about 55 miles northwest of Chicago, a local ABC affiliate reported.
Firefighters from around northern Illinois worked for hours to cut into the corn silo to try to rescue Madey, a volunteer firefighter in his 70s.
"He was a great guy ... Hard worker, good farmer, good firefighter," Genoa-Kingston Fire Department Chief Bruce Kozlowski told reporters.
Over the past 30 years, corn has been involved in about 45 percent of grain-related entrapment incidents, according to a 2013 Purdue University study. Eight people died in such accidents in 2012, the study found.
A spokesperson for the DeKalb County Sheriff's office was not immediately available for comment. (Reporting by Mary Wisniewski; Editing by Michael Perry)
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