Man trapped in Little Caesars oven vent saved after yelling for help, GA officials say
A man needed rescuing after he found himself trapped inside an oven vent at an Atlanta-area Little Caesars, according to Georgia authorities.
His shouts for help led DeKalb County police and fire rescue officials to the pizza shop on Covington Highway in Lithonia just before 9:30 a.m. local time Tuesday, July 12, a police spokesperson told McClatchy News in a statement.
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Brittany Davis had just arrived to work at the recruitment office next door when she heard the screams and called 911, according to WGCL.
“I definitely did not expect this,” Davis told the news station. “We actually stepped back to see if maybe someone was on top of the roof.”
A Little Caesars employee was also looking around the area as they tried to find the source of the noise, Captain Jason Daniels with DeKalb County Fire told McClatchy News. They soon realized it was coming from inside the restaurant.
Someone was trapped in the exhaust vent of the pizza oven, which allows heat to escape through the roof of the restaurant.
“The pipe couldn’t have been hot while he was in there because he wouldn’t have been able to make it all the way down,” Daniels said. “So between whatever time (Little Caesars) closed and 8 o’clock in the morning, he decided to get himself down there.”
Update: The man had friction burns from being stuck in the Little Caesar’s exhaust system. Had to be cut out as seen here in DeKalb County Fire Department photos. Now being taken to the hospital to be checked out. pic.twitter.com/nWf29eddLS
— Joe Henke (@JoeHenke) July 12, 2022
Photos posted online show fire rescue crews cutting away part of the vent to help free the man. Authorities said it’s not clear how long he was trapped before help arrived.
The man, whose name wasn’t released, was eventually extricated and taken to a hospital, according to police and fire rescue officials. He suffered some friction burns from sliding into the tight space and was a bit dehydrated, Daniels said.
His motive remains unclear, and police haven’t said what charges he could face, if any.
Davis, the Army sergeant, told WGCL she’s just happy the man made it out OK.
“I’m just glad they didn’t turn the oven on because he would’ve been toast,” told the station.
The incident remains under investigation.
Lithonia is about 20 miles east of downtown Atlanta.
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