A west suburban man died Monday night after apparently being attacked by wasps while trying to remove them from his Roselle home.
Bruce Madiar, 62, of the 500 block of Dee Lane, was pronounced dead shortly before 6:30 p.m. Monday at Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.
An autopsy originally scheduled for Tuesday was delayed until Wednesday.
Madiar collapsed outside the front of his home while trying to clear out a nest, his wife told authorities. Officers noted a can of wasp and hornet killer and a vacuum near the home but said they saw no sign of an attack.
"According to our crews, there was not initially any signs of bees or anything like that. Some of our crew members didn't even know it was a bee sting that was involved initially," said Roselle Fire Department Chief Robert Tinucci.
Neighbors in the area said the insects have been a nuisance for some time but weren't viewed as a serious threat.
"What hits home to me is how fortunate I was that I had my wasps professionally removed. I think this definitely demonstrates that wasps should be not be taken lightly," said neighbor Mike Weflen.
Madiar, a husband, father of three and grandfather of five was president of Iron Workers Local 63 for nine years and had worked at the Cook County Jail for 20 years.
Another Roselle man, Ronald Mucha, died in 2003 after he disturbed a nest of yellowjacket wasps and was stung multiple times.
