Teen rescued 12 hours after falling into sewage pipe

LOS ANGELES — A 13-yearold boy was miraculously rescued Monday after falling into a river of sewage in Los Angeles, getting swept away and spending more than 12 hours in the toxic environment of the city’s maze-like underground pipeline system.

Jesse Hernandez had been playing with other children on wooden planks over an access portal to the sewer system during a family outing Sunday at Los Angeles’ Griffith Park. When a plank broke, Jesse fell about 25 feet and landed in fast-moving sewage, said Brian Humphrey, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The other children immediately notified adults, who called 911, initiating a frantic and exhaustive 12-hour search of labyrinthine underground pipes using cameras propped on flotation devices.

Rescuers finally found Jesse after seeing images of handprints. A sanitation crew rushed to the area and opened a manhole.

“The first thing they heard was ‘Help!’ ” said Adel Hagekhalil, assistant general manager of the sanitation department.

The crew lowered down a hose to Jesse, who was about 11 feet deep in the pipe. “He caught onto the hose and was reeled back up,” Hagekhalil said.

Rescuers gave him immediate medical attention, including hosing him down to get rid of the sewage. Jesse immediately asked for a cell phone to call his family.

“He was happy; the family was happy,” said Hagekhalil.

Jesse managed to find a pocket of breathable air and hang on until he was found, authorities said.

About 2,400 feet of pipe had been inspected when rescuers finally found Jesse less than a mile from where he disappeared. He was taken to a hospital for a full evaluation and to be reunited with his family.