Utah Firefighters Pull Autistic Boy From Chimney

April 13, 2012
Salt Lake City fire crews pulled a 9-year-old autistic boy from a chimney after he climbed in and became stuck.

Salt Lake City fire crews Monday pulled a 9-year-old autistic boy from a chimney after he climbed in and became stuck.

Firefighters responded to the home on the 1300 West block of California Avenue around 6:15 p.m. after the boy's mother called to say she found him stuck in the chimney after hearing him cry for help from outside, Salt Lake City Fire Department spokesman Scott Freitag wrote in a news release.

Firefighters climbed to the roof of the home and discovered the boy was stuck about seven feet down the chimney, Freitag wrote.

Firefighters trained in special technical rescues lowered ropes into the chimney and instructed the boy to slide his hands through the loops of the ropes, Freitag wrote.

They then pulled him to safety.

It took firefighters 45 minutes to rescue the boy and he told them he had been stuck in the chimney about 45 minutes before they arrived, Freitag wrote.

The boy appeared to be uninjured, but was transferred to Primary Children's Medical Center for an examination, Freitag wrote.

The mother told authorities she thought the boy had climbed to the roof and inside the chimney by himself. No charges are expected to be filed, Freitag wrote. Alt Heads:

Firefighters pull autistic boy from chimney

Copyright 2012 The Salt Lake TribuneAll Rights Reserved

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