SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - A nine-year-old autistic boy is recovering after a scary ordeal. The Salt Lake City boy got trapped inside of his chimney and was stuck there for 90 minutes until firefighters were able to get him out.
Salt Lake City firefighters and neighbors tell ABC 4 News that around 6:15 PM Monday night, the boy's mother started to hear his cries from this chimney. Next door neighbor Ina Failner says, "It sounded like they were having fun and then all of sudden it got quiet. Then pretty soon the fire engine came."
The 95-year-old neighbor couldn't see a fire so she says she didn't know what was going on until a firefighter told her about the boy. So, she offered to help. "I let them in the backyard so they could get a ladder up to the chimney."
Once firefighters got up to the chimney they could see that the boy was stuck about seven feet from the top. As you can see in the photos provided by the Salt Lake City Fire Department, firefighters, trained to use technical rescue equipment, began the 45 minute process of lowering ropes, getting them around the boys wrists and then pulling him slowly out of the chimney.
Firefighters say the boy actually helped in his own rescue by sliding his hands into the loops of the ropes. They say he did not appear to be injured, but was taken to Primary Children's to be evaluated. Authorities believe this is an accident and no charges will be filed.
