A 23-year-old man’s mundane errand turned into an extraordinary overnight ordeal when he found himself trapped inside a security vault at a Midtown building, an escapade that lasted approximately 10 hours.
The incident unfolded when the young customer ventured into a DGA security vault, intent on accessing his safety deposit box, according to WABC. Unfortunately, he didn’t account for the vault’s time-locked mechanism, which automatically keeps the door sealed until a preset time elapses.
Officials and rescue crews scrambled to free the man, with more than nine hours spent trying to breach 30 inches of concrete and metal plating. Ultimately, they decided to prioritize his safety over a quicker rescue. Inside the vault, the stranded individual remained physically unharmed, thanks to video monitoring and a phone system for communication.
In the end, the man emerged unscathed from his accidental overnight hideaway, dusted off by EMS, and sent on his way.