Man gets stuck in chimney trying to break into home on Easter, faces charges

Chimney
Chimney rescue FILE PHOTO: Firefighters had to cut through stone to get to a man who had been trapped in a chimney. (tamas - stock.adobe.com)

HOUSTON — A man in Houston is facing charges after he had to be rescued from a chimney on Easter.

Houston Police were called to a home just before 1 a.m. on April 5 after the homeowner heard a noise coming from their chimney. They were alerted to the issue by their dog, who started barking, KHOU reported.

At first, Joni and Curt Mitchell thought it was an animal in the chimney.

“I said, ‘What’s going on, Ellie?’” Joni Mitchell told KHOU, referring to their dog. “And I start hearing noises. All of a sudden, I started hearing [incoherent noises], and it was coming out of the fireplace.”

Curt Mitchell thought a raccoon or another animal fell down, but it wasn’t.

“I come down and open the flue ... and this guy was speaking Spanish and he was freaking out,” Curt Mitchell said.

Firefighters were called and they told the Mitchells that they would have to break through the stone to get the man out.

After about two hours, the man was freed from the space that was about two square feet.

The man had minor injuries and was taken to an area hospital for treatment, KPRC reported.

The Mitchells think the man jumped a fence, got onto the roof and removed the chimney cap before trying to climb down.

The man is facing burglary of a habitation charges, according ot the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, KHOU reported.

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