June 25 (UPI) — Authorities in California said an attempt to retrieve a pair of dropped sunglasses from a campground toilet led to a man having to be rescued from the sewage tank.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded Saturday alongside Cal Fire personnel when a man was reported to be trapped in the holding tank of a toilet vault at Camp Edison in Shaver Lake.
“This is a facility with no plumbing, so it essentially operates like a porta potty,” the sheriff’s office said on social media.
The rescuers learned the man had attempted to reach into the toilet to retrieve a pair of dropped sunglasses and ended up falling in.
“After spending close to 15 minutes in the tank, deputies and firefighters were able to pull the man out to safety. Due to his exposure to urine, fecal matter and chemicals, he was put through a decontamination process,” the post said.
The man, who was “otherwise unharmed,” was able to walk away without further medical attention.
“As for safety tips, never try and reach inside a tank of a vault toilet,” officials wrote. “If you drop something inside, consider it a loss. Always secure or remove valuables (phone, wallet, jewelry, etc.) before getting close to the hole of one of these toilets.”
