Thief Hiding in Chimney Dies After Home Owners Lights a Fire

 

A thief who burgled a home in Fresno County, California got the reward for his bad deeds as he died after getting trapped inside the chimney of the home he robbed, sheriff's deputies said on Saturday. 

 

An unidentified man in his twenties was found lodged inside the chimney of a home in the small town of Huron on Friday after homeowners heard calls for help upon lighting a fire, KSEE reports. The homeowners called police for help as the trapped thief wailed while being choked by smoke and fire.

 

Firefighters arrived within minutes of the call and found the man still conscious inside the chimney, officials said. They tried saving the man by destroying the chimney. But, it didn't go as planned because the man was dead before they could pull him out.

 

It is believed the suspect climbed into the chimney overnight in an attempt to burglarize the home when he became stuck. Jake Jensen with the Fresno County Sheriffs Office said he'd never seen a situation like like this, and ditto for the firefighters who responded.

 

 "I've been a deputy for 17 years now and I've never seen anything like this," he told KSEE.

 

The Coroner’s Office removed the man’s body from the scene and an autopsy was scheduled to determine his identity, a cause and manner of death.