A man stuck in a chimney in Montgomery County, Maryland, was rescued after two dozen firefighters responded, breaking through a wall and dismantling part of the chimney brick-by-brick to free him, officials said.
A resident of the single-family home on the 9000 block of Dameron Drive in Silver Spring told News4 he called police after hearing rustling that he thought was coming from outside at around 3:30 a.m.
Officers responded, found no signs of an attempted break-in, and then left, the man said.
An hour later, the resident said he heard moaning inside a wall of the home, so police returned and noticed the top of the chimney had been removed.
That’s when a man unknown to the resident was discovered trapped in the chimney.
Two dozen firefighters responded for the technical rescue. Ladders, floodlights, shovels and other equipment were seen in photos of the home. Some firefighters were filmed taking bricks out of the wall.
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The man was removed from the chimney about 7:30 a.m. and taken to a trauma center for treatment of serious injuries. He is expected to survive, officials said.
Police escorted the ambulance to the hospital, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue spokesman Pete Piringer said. Information about the man's identity or whether he could face any charges wasn't immediately available.
Photos show a big mess left in the home, which is owned by Holy Cross Hospital, including a large hole in the wall and debris piled around a fireplace. Another photo showed a pile of bricks and rubble outside, on top of snow.
Stay with News4 for more on this developing story.
