MOUNT PULASKI - Emergency workers spent nearly three hours Thursday freeing a man buried up to his neck in corn in a grain bin just north of Mount Pulaski. The man declined treatment and walked away after he was freed from the bin, said Lincoln Fire Chief Jim Davis.

John Buckner said he was working on top the grain when he sank to his waist, and soon sank to his chest. He has worked for 38 years at the Elkhart Grain Co. grain elevator along Illinois 54 between Chestnut and Mount Pulaski, and he never had a similar accident, he said.

The call for help came about 11:20 a.m. Thursday, and Buckner was out by about 2 p.m. Lincoln and Decatur technical rescue squads, area firefighters, an Air Evac Lifeteam helicopter and numerous police were called to the bin.

Buckner said he immediately told someone to get help, telling them to call 911 and get two vacuum trucks to start removing grain.

He described the corn around him as like concrete, saying "You cannot move an ounce - not an inch, a half an inch."

John Buckner

In telling how deep he was in the grain, Buckner tipped his head back and put his hand under his nose. He said that, at that point, he thought "it may be over."

But workers and fire personnel lowered the level of the corn. Buckner was able to move a little bit once it was below his waist, and he gripped a rope.

"I said, ‘I moved, grab hold, boys,'" Buckner said.

Workers were shoveling corn out of the bin when Lincoln fire officials arrived, Davis said, and two vacuum trucks were brought in to remove the corn.

As the corn lowered enough for Buckner to move, he was taken out through a side opening, he said.

Don Ludwig, general manager at the elevator, said he and other employees were thankful "Buck" was safe but he still had to find out what happened.

He said all the employees realize working with grain can be dangerous and are trained for safe operation.

Ludwig said about 1 1/2 truckloads of corn were removed from the grain bin in freeing Buckner.

Davis estimated the bin was about 150 feet tall, and said there was about 15 feet of grain inside. He and four other firefighters lowered lines from the top of the bin to people below, he said.

Buckner said the only thing hurt was his feelings. He has preached to his co-workers about safety when working in the grain bins, he said.

Buckner said the situation made him appreciate how members of a close community help each other. He praised rescue workers, saying he loved them all.

"That was a test of the good people, and the good people came through," Buckner said.

Buckner said he was willing to finish the rest of the work day, but he was told to go home and stay home the next day.