In Bristol, Connecticut, firefighters had to rescue a man who became trapped in the chimney of a parks building while attempting to retrieve his dog from a locked bathroom. The incident occurred when the doors automatically closed for the night, prompting a burglary complaint at Rockwell Park on Sunday morning. Parks employees alerted the police that someone was stuck in the chimney. Firefighters arrived at the scene and successfully freed the man by dismantling parts of the chimney and building, resulting in $5,000 to $10,000 worth of damage. The Bristol resident, who emerged unharmed, was subsequently arrested and charged with burglary, trespassing, and criminal mischief. He was released on bond with a court appearance scheduled for July 7. Efforts to reach the man for comment were unsuccessful as the listed contact information was unavailable. The man got stuck near the chimney flue of Mrs. Rockwell’s Pavilion, a building named after a park benefactor, due to the bathroom doors’ automatic locking feature at 10 p.m. According to Erica Benoit, a community engagement coordinator for Bristol Parks, Recreation, Youth, and Community Services, it remains unclear how the dog ended up stuck in the bathroom or the duration of the man’s predicament. Fortunately, the dog emerged unharmed. Benoit described the situation as unusual, emphasizing the importance of contacting authorities to prevent such incidents in the future.
