AUSTIN — A man called 911 himself Sunday morning after falling approximately 50 feet down an exhaust shaft near the University of Texas campus, according to Austin-Travis County EMS (ATCEMS).
Officials said the man is around 18 years of age and called first responders around 2 a.m., telling them he fell down a hole. The Austin Fire Department (AFD) and ATCEMS responded.
The man fell from the roof of the Dobie Mall on 21st Street and Guadalupe and down a boiler ventilation shaft.
The AFD had to shut off the boilers. They also had to create a hole in the wall to get air to the man -- but couldn't get him out of that same hole because the wall could have collapsed.
Firefighters had to rappel down into the shaft to rescue the man.
By 4:20 a.m., the man had been safely removed from the shaft and was transported to Dell Seton with serious injuries that are not expected to be life-threatening.
AFD shared a video compilation of the rescue Wednesday, adding that they had a busy weekend with several critical incidents, including this dramatic rescue.
For Austin Fire officials, this was a tough rescue.
"It was a very dangerous place to be, where he fell from wasn't designed for humans," Captain Travis Maher said. "It's a stack for a chiller, and it's not designed for human occupation."
Maggie Miller, a student at The University of Texas, said she's wondering why and how the man got stuck in the exhaust.
"Especially at two in the morning, it's a lot of questions that came to mind," Miller said. "I just think it's important to be careful and have someone, your phone, just to make sure you're still safe and people can come help you if you need help."
Police later identified the man as Daniel Sosa and said he works and lives at Dobie Mall. APD did not write a citation for Sosa because the property manager of Dobie Mall "was on scene and fully aware of the incident."
As of Tuesday, Sosa is in good condition, according to Dell Seton Medical Center.