Crews were at the scene for nearly 10 hours to try to rescue a 26-year-old Elmhurst worker fell into a sand hopper and later died near west suburban Bloomingdale on Wednesday.
Russell Gusloff of 904 Colfax Ave. was pronounced dead on the scene at 12:38 a.m. Thursday at Graber Concrete Pipe, 24W121 Army Trail Road in Bloomingdale, according to DuPage County Chief Deputy Coroner Charlie Dastych. An autopsy was still being performed as of 1:40 p.m. Thursday, according to a coroner’s office spokeswoman.
The Bloomingdale Fire Protection District responded to an unknown medical emergency about 3 p.m. Wednesday at Army Trail Road and Cavalry Drive, according to a release from the district and a district dispatcher.
Emergency crews were notified when co-workers called authorities, according to a firefighter who was at the scene.
"It was an extremely technical extrication," according to the firefighter, who said outside companies that specialize in rescues were brought in to help.
Upon arrival, crews were notified that an employee was engulfed by sand in a hopper located about 40 feet up on top of the building, according to a release from the district.
After about an hour, the rescue was turned into a recovery effort because part of Gusloff’s body was exposed and showed "no signs of life," the firefighter said.
The focus then shifted to a safe and systematic recovery, the release stated.
About 25 agencies and technical rescue teams assisted, according to the release.
The cause of the incident, considered an accident, was under investigation.
Copyright 2007, Chicago Sun-Times Inc.
