Man was trapped in a chimney for two days – until neighbors heard crying

A 40-year-old man was rescued after being stuck for approximately 48 hours in a narrow chimney in an abandoned building in Sonora, Mexico. Neighbors heard screams and crying and alerted fire crews, who had to destroy parts of the roof to extract him. The trapped man was taken to a hospital in a state of severe dehydration and is being investigated on suspicion of trespassing.

A 40-year-old man was safely rescued after being trapped for approximately 48 hours inside a narrow chimney only 25-30 centimeters wide, in an abandoned residential building in the Villa Stella neighborhood of Hermosillo, the capital of Sonora state in northern Mexico. Neighbors living nearby were the first to notice the incident after hearing suspicious noises, crying, and distress calls emanating from the depths of the closed building, and quickly called emergency services. Upon arrival, firefighters searched the building and located the source of the sounds inside the narrow chimney shaft, from which the man could not free himself. The rescue operation, which lasted about 40 minutes, required the use of heavy equipment and specialized engineering skills. 12 firefighters and a dedicated rescue unit carried out a controlled demolition of parts of the roof panels above the chimney to create a safe escape route. Immediately upon his release, paramedics provided initial treatment on site, and he was evacuated for further care at the state general hospital, suffering from localized weight loss, severe dehydration, and multiple cuts caused by continuous friction against the chimney walls during his attempts to escape. After the rescue operations concluded, construction workers on behalf of the property owner arrived to completely seal the chimney opening. Meanwhile, the Attorney General of Sonora state confirmed that the man was transferred to the custody of the Public Prosecutor's Office, and an official investigation was opened against him on suspicion of trespassing and breaking into a closed building. Authorities have not yet released the man's identity or the motive that led him to enter the chimney.