SILVER SPRINGS SHORES, Fla. --
Marion County firefighters worked to free a man trapped in the vent of a Marion County CVS drugstore on Tuesday morning.
It happened at the CVS in Silver Springs Shores on Maricamp Road around 8 a.m.
Firefighters responded to the assistant store manager's 911 call and found a man trapped in a 15-foot long, 10- to 12-inch wide ventilation shaft in the store's attic space above a stall in the women's restroom.
Manager Nicholas Gajraj said a milk vendor heard the man shouting for help.
"We were shocked. You hear about these things, but never think it could happen in your store," Gajraj said.
Officials later said they believe the man was trying to break in to the store when he became stuck. The Marion County Sheriff's Office is investigating.
To free the man, firefighters cut a hole into a wall in an upstairs storage room. They then cut through the ventilation materials using a saw.
"Reaching him was challenging because he was trapped at least 10 feet from the top of the roofline. His hands were pinned, and his feet went through the bottom of the shaft. There was no easy access," firefighter Lonnie Blackburn said.
The man said he was trapped for about 10 hours before anyone found him. He was in stable condition, with complaints of thirst and minor cuts.
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