Woman Falls into Tiny Space During Smoke Break
By: KGW
Updated: January 17, 2013
Portland Fire Bureau firefighters rescued a woman Wednesday morning four hours after she somehow got wedged between two buildings.
The incident began about 3:45 a.m. when a woman was seen on a second-story area, a witness said, and ended about 7:30 a.m. when she was pulled through an opening cut in a wall.
The woman was taken to Oregon Health and Science University where she was listed in fair condition.
Lt. Rich Chatman, who spoke directly with the victim as she neared freedom, said she was cold "and she wanted to get out" but was otherwise in good spirits. "A real trooper," Chapman said. She was stuck in a space about eight inches across.
"We just assured her that we were doing everything that we could to get her out and we were going to get her out as soon as possible," he said, "We weren't going home without her."
Firefighters first tried a rope rescue, then decided to cut through the wall of a parking garage to free her.
The woman was alert, agitated but did not appear to be seriously injured. She was talking with rescue crews as they sawed through concrete block walls for several hours.
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