Man Falls Into Toilet Trying To Retrieve Glasses At CA Camp, Is Trapped In Tank

FRESNO COUNTY, CA — A man was rescued by emergency personnel after he fell into the holding tank of a vault toilet at Shaver Lake while trying to retrieve his glasses, authorities said.

The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office received a report around 2:15 p.m. Saturday that someone needed help in a restroom at Camp Edison, according to the agency.

“This is a facility with no plumbing, so it essentially operates like a porta potty,” the sheriff’s office said in a social media post.

The man had dropped his sunglasses into the chemical solution in the toilet and fallen several feet into the hole attempting to get them back, according to the agency.

He spent about 15 minutes in the tank before deputies and firefighters pulled him to safety, authorities said, adding he was decontaminated for exposure to urine, feces and chemicals but walked away otherwise unharmed.

“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,” the sheriff’s office said in the social media post.

“Due to the deep enclosure, it can be nearly impossible for someone to rescue themselves if they fall in. That, coupled with exposure to chemicals, can ultimately turn fatal.”