Technical Rescue: Houston Burglary Suspect Extracted from Chimney by Firefighters on Easter Sunday

HOUSTON, Texas — A suspected burglar's unconventional attempt to enter a residence through a chimney went awry early Sunday morning, leaving him wedged in a tight flue and requiring a complex, hours-long extraction by the Houston Fire Department.

The rescue occurred on April 5, 2026, at a home on Tooley Drive in southwest Houston. Authorities reported that a man in his 30s climbed onto the roof of the house, removed the chimney cap, and attempted to slide down into the home. However, he became wedged mid-way down in a space measuring approximately two square feet, rendering him completely immobilized.

Fire department rescue crews were dispatched to the scene around 1:00 a.m. after the homeowners woke up to strange noises coming from the fireplace and called 911. Upon arrival, technical rescue teams assessed the situation and determined that the only way to free the man was to break through the chimney's masonry.

Using specialized breaching tools, firefighters carefully dismantled a portion of the stone chimney from the outside. After approximately two hours of careful work, the suspect was safely extracted and placed on a stretcher. He was taken to a local hospital for evaluation of minor abrasions and dehydration, and faces charges of burglary of a habitation.