Overnight Nightmare
In a bizarre incident in the heart of New York City's c, a 23-year-old customer found himself trapped inside a secure room at 580 Fifth Avenue for nearly 10 hours overnight. His freedom only came when the locked doors, on a timed mechanism, finally released their grip.
The incident unfolded just after 8 p.m. on a Tuesday evening, within the confines of 580 Fifth Avenue, a building that houses various small jewelry stores and vaults, setting the stage for a harrowing ordeal.
The young man had been attending to his safety deposit box when the door to the room was inadvertently locked from the outside, ensnaring him within the confines of a 20-by-40-foot space.
The room was secured with a timed locking mechanism, with no plans to reopen until the start of the following business day.
The New York Fire Department swiftly responded to the situation, embarking on a challenging mission to rescue the trapped customer. Their efforts included cutting through approximately 30 inches of concrete wall in an attempt to liberate the individual. However, their progress was halted when they encountered a layer of metal plating that required specialized tools, such as torches, to breach.
Out of consideration for the occupant's safety and to avoid introducing smoke and fumes into the confined space, the firefighters made a prudent decision. They chose to wait for the door to automatically unlock, which finally occurred around 6:15 a.m., ultimately setting the man free.
Although he endured this ordeal for an extended period, the trapped customer is now under evaluation. Fortunately, he appears to be physically unharmed, according to officials.
Firefighters shed light on the incident, explaining that the secure room was intentionally closed by the vault's owners, with its automatic locking mechanism engaged after 7 p.m. It remained locked until a predetermined time had passed.
Throughout the ordeal, the firefighters maintained communication with the trapped individual via phone, and they had access to surveillance footage that documented his entry into the secure room.
