Vidostream | News, sport and opinion from the Vidostream's US edition

https://vidostream.com

'Miracle' boy found alive 13 hours after falling down drainage pipe in Los Angeles: Fire officia

Boy found alive after falling through drainage pipe
Jesse Hernandez, 13, who fell through a drainage pipe in Los Angeles, April 1, 2018, is seen in this undated photo released by the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Jesse Hernandez, 13, who fell through a drainage pipe in Los Angeles, April 1, 2018, is seen in this undated photo released by the Los Angeles Fire Department.

A 13-year-old boy was found alive this morning after falling through a wooden plank on Sunday and being washed away into a network of drainage pipes in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Fire Department said.

Jesse Hernandez, who was scared, cold and hungry when he was found early this morning, is "alert and talking," the fire department said.

Jesse was trapped in the "intricate, enclosed" pipe system overnight during the "relentless" search for him that lasted 13 hours, LAFD Capt. Erik Scott told ABC News.

Scott called it a "miracle" that Jesse survived.

PHOTO: Jesse Hernandez, 13, who fell through a drainage pipe in Los Angeles, April 1, 2018, is seen in this undated photo released by the Los Angeles Fire Department.
LAFD
Jesse Hernandez, 13, who fell through a drainage pipe in Los Angeles, April 1, 2018, is seen in this undated photo released by the Los Angeles Fire Department.
 
 

 

PHOTO: A 13-year-old boy was found alive on April 2, 2018, after falling through a wooden plank and being washed away into a network of drainage pipes in Los Angeles on April 1.
Capt. Erik Scott, LAFD
A 13-year-old boy was found alive on April 2, 2018, after falling through a wooden plank and being washed away into a network of drainage pipes in Los Angeles on April 1.
 
 

The accident happened at about 4:30 p.m. local time on Sunday when the boy fell about 25 feet into a sewer pipe, the fire department said.

Jesse's family was picnicking nearby as part of its annual Easter tradition before the boy went missing, fire department official said. The fire department told ABC station KABC in Los Angeles that Jesse and his friends had climbed over a chain-link fence near Griffith Park and entered an abandoned maintenance shed. Jesse then fell after a wooden plank he was standing on gave way.

The pipes, which run parallel the Los Angeles River and cross under freeways, are 4 feet in diameter, the fire department said.

 

A file photo from Dec. 9, 2017 shows traffic at a standstill on the Interstate 5 freeway next to the Los Angeles River near downtown Los Angeles.
AP
A file photo from Dec. 9, 2017 shows traffic at a standstill on the Interstate 5 freeway next to the Los Angeles River near downtown Los Angeles.
 
 

The pipes are filled with 2 feet or more of sewage that moves at 15 mph, officials said.

PHOTO: The hole that 13-year-old Jesse Hernandez fell into that led to him being swept away into the drainage pipes in Los Angeles, April 1, 2018.
Bali Construction
The hole that 13-year-old Jesse Hernandez fell into that led to him being swept away into the drainage pipes in Los Angeles, April 1, 2018.
 
 

Teams from the Los Angeles Fire Department, Los Angeles Police Department, California Highway Patrol and experts from the Bureaus of Sanitation, Engineering and Contract Administration were among the officials who worked to analyze the 6,400-feet pipe system and conduct the search.

Cameras used to inspect pipes for repair were employed as part of the rescue effort, the fire department said.

PHOTO: A 13-year-old boy was found alive on April 2, 2018, after falling through a wooden plank and being washed away into a network of drainage pipes in Los Angeles on April 1.
Capt. Erik Scott, LAFD
A 13-year-old boy was found alive on April 2, 2018, after falling through a wooden plank and being washed away into a network of drainage pipes in Los Angeles on April 1.
 
 

The fire department, working with the Bureau of Sanitation, pinpointed the search area to a one-mile radius, and intelligence then narrowed the search down to a 6,400-foot section of pipe, Scott of the LAFD told ABC News.

"At 4 o'clock ... one of the cameras saw some handprints on the sewer inside the pipe," Adel Hagekhalil of the Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation told ABC News. "The first thing they hear is, 'Help.'"

Rescuers opened the maintenance hatch and spotted Jesse, who had seen a glimpse of light when the sewage hatch was opening, Scott said.

"Right away they lowered the hose ... and said, 'Hold on.' He held on and they reeled him up," Hagekhali said. "First thing [Jesse] wanted was a cell phone to call his family."

Jesse's mother was relieved to hear his voice as rescuers checked his vitals, Scott said.

Jesse, who went missing near 5254 Zoo Drive in Los Angeles, was found near the intersection of the 134 Freeway and the 5 Freeway.

​​​​​​​ABC News Jesse, who went missing near 5254 Zoo Drive in Los Angeles, was found near the intersection of the 134 Freeway and the 5 Freeway.
ABC News
Jesse, who went missing near 5254 Zoo Drive in Los Angeles, was found near the intersection of the 134 Freeway and the 5 Freeway.
 
 

Scott said it appears Jesse traveled about three-quarters of a mile.

Scott said crews were extremely concerned that Jesse wouldn't be found safe due to the fall and the hazardous material inside the pipes.

"We maintained hope, we maintained intensity and we did not give up," Scott said. "But I'll be honest, we did not think we would find a viable patient."

After there was word that Jesse had been found, Scott said he has never seen so many men hold back their tears and embrace each other.

 

PHOTO:13-year-old Jesse Hernandez is pictured after he fell into a hole was rescued from drainage pipes in Los Angeles, April 1, 2018.
Bali Construction
PHOTO:13-year-old Jesse Hernandez is pictured after he fell into a hole was rescued from drainage pipes in Los Angeles, April 1, 2018.
 
 

Jesse was taken to a hospital to be evaluated, the fire department said. He has since been released, Los Angeles County hospital spokesman Mike Wilson told ABC News.

"We would like to thank the entire Hernandez family for their patience and optimism," the department said. "From start to finish, this was an unprecedented team effort and the LAFD would like to recognize the excellent teamwork among all agencies involved."

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website. By continuing to browse, you are agreeing to our Cookie Policy.
You did not use the site, Click here to remain logged. Timeout: 60 second