Man rescued from ill-advised foray into greasy vent

A man possibly trying to burglarize an abandoned Chinese restaurant in San Lorenzo was trapped in the building’s grease vent for two days before he was rescued Wednesday morning, according to Alameda County officials.

Just before 9:30 a.m., Alameda County fire officials responded to a 911 call from someone who reported hearing faint cries for help coming from a building on the 700 block of Bockman Road, officials said.

The reporting party said it sounded like the person was in pain, but he was unable to get inside to help because the building was locked.

Arriving firefighters also heard moaning and a voice inside the building saying he was stuck in the duct system above the stove.

Firefighters spent the next 30 minutes extricating the man from the vent system.

The system’s passageway runs all the way through to the building, but significantly narrows on the way down, said Alameda County Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Ray Kelly. Covered in grease and battling smooth metal walls, the man was unable to pull himself out.

“It’s not the first time I’ve seen this,” Kelly said.

The man, whose name has not yet been released, told officials he’d been stuck for two days. Despite being exposed to the cold and the elements, he was in generally good condition, Kelly said.

The man was checked into the hospital, and deputies will decide later whether to book him into jail or issue a citation. The extrication caused about $10,000 worth of damage to the ventilation system, Kelly said.

Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy