After an hours-long rescue effort, firefighters finally managed to free a man who somehow became stuck in a narrow gap between two buildings in downtown Toronto.
The man, said to be in his 30s, was trapped between buildings located on Sherbourne Street, between Queen and Richmond Streets, for almost eight hours on Tuesday.
It’s unclear how the man got stuck. Police believe he may have fallen from the roof and become trapped in the tight space.
Toronto Fire Captain Michael Westwood told The Canadian Press that the man’s circulation was so reduced that he was too weak to crawl out.
“The space he’s occupying is no more than eight inches wide,” Platoon Chief James Green told CP24 as the rescue was underway.
“He’s got some lack of circulation in his arms and legs so he can’t really move … He’s in a bit of a state, that’s for sure.”
The rescue took more than two hours. Firefighters tried reaching the man with ropes, but eventually used air chisels and air hammers to cut through a wall to reach him.
“It’s an extremely difficult operation. We’re jackhammering through three layers of brick in a close environment,” Green said.
The crew was in constant contact with the man and gave him water to keep him hydrated.
The man was eventually pulled through the hole the rescue workers created and he was taken to a waiting ambulance to be assessed.
Police say the man told officers he didn’t remember how he became wedged between the buildings.
The man who owns the building that police chiseled a hole through says he’s concerned about the state of the property.
“Who is going to pay for all this damage?” Douglas Lee told CTV Toronto. “I don’t have that kind of money.”
Toronto Paramedic Services said the man was in serious but non-life-threatening condition, with decreased awareness and a number of aches and pains.
With files from CTV Toronto, The Canadian Press and CP24
