Naked man trapped in vent of vacant restaurant for about 24 hours, CA officials say

Crews rescued a naked man trapped in the air vent of a vacant restaurant in California after a worker heard screaming in the kitchen’s ventilation system, officials said.

When crews arrived, the man, who said he was trapped for up to 24 hours in the two-story building on Beverly Boulevard, was stuck upright in an 18-inch metal ventilation duct, 11 feet below the roof’s surface on Monday, July 25, the Los Angeles Fire Department said in a news release.

The man was able to free one arm, which crews tethered and used to raise “him via a high point rescue system utilizing an aerial ladder,” according to LAFD. Crews were able to rescue the man unharmed.

LAFD did not disclose how the man got trapped in the vent or his affiliation with the building.

The man was taken into custody and facing a misdemeanor trespassing charge, the Los Angeles Police Department told McClatchy News over the phone.

This story was originally published July 26, 2022 at 1:02 PM with the headline "Naked man trapped in vent of vacant restaurant for about 24 hours, CA officials say."

Daniella Segura

McClatchy DC

Daniella Segura is a national real-time reporter with McClatchy. Previously, she’s worked as a multimedia journalist for weekly and daily newspapers in the Los Angeles area. Her work has been recognized by the California News Publishers Association. She is also an alumnus of the University of Southern California and UC Berkeley.