Bristol, Connecticut — Firefighters had to rescue a man who became stuck in the chimney of a Connecticut park building while attempting to retrieve his dog from a bathroom after the doors automatically locked for the night.
Police were called to Rockwell Park in Bristol on Sunday morning to investigate a burglary complaint, and park employees informed them that someone was in the chimney. Firefighters responded to the scene and extricated the man after removing parts of the chimney and building, causing $5,000 to $10,000 in damage, according to police.
The Bristol man, who sustained no injuries, was arrested and charged with burglary, trespassing, and criminal mischief. He was released on bond and is scheduled to appear in court on July 7.
A message seeking comment was sent to the man’s email address as listed in public records. The phone numbers listed for him were not in service. He did not have a lawyer, according to online court records.
The man became stuck near the chimney flue of Mrs. Rockwell’s Pavilion, which is named after a park beneficiary. According to Erica Benoit, community engagement coordinator for Bristol Parks, Recreation, Youth, and Community Services, the locks on the bathroom doors are now on timers and automatically lock at 10 p.m. daily.
It’s unclear how the dog became stuck in the bathroom or how long the man remained in the chimney. The doors can be opened from the inside after being locked for the night. Police said the dog was unharmed.
“It is a bit of a crazy scenario,” Benoit explained. “Our parks staff is coordinating with the police and fire departments to ensure that this does not happen again. We could have avoided the situation if he had simply called the police.”
