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24-year-old sewer worker swept away by heavy rain during thunderstorms

CHICAGO, Sept. 19 (UPI) -- A sewer worker in Chicago died after he was swept away by water during a thunderstorm, authorities said.

The 24-year-old, who was a contractor with Kenney Construction, was relining a sewer at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday when a rush of rainwater hit him.

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His body was found two hours later and 500 feet away from where he disappeared, WMAQ-TV, reported.

"When we first got here, the contractor had the camera going both ways in the sewer to see if we could find him faster and maybe make this a rescue instead of a recovery, but it didn't turn out," chief of the Chicago Fire Department Special Operations, Michael Fox, said.

The man's name is not being released.

Chicago received 1.5- to 3.5 inches of rain Wednesday night, and winds knocked down trees and power lines, leaving 15,000 without power.

Minor flooding also hit areas of Chicago, WMAQ-TV reported.

Storms continued Thursday.

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