A Florida teen who got trapped inside an abandoned bank vault had to be rescued by a former bank employee who remembered the vault’s combination.
The local rescue team of Hollywood, Fla., told WSVN that two teens were exploring an old office building that once contained a Bank of America branch on Wednesday when the 17-year-old accidentally got locked inside the vault.
“They didn’t know that the vault was still active. Playing inside the vault, one of them got trapped inside,” Hollywood Police officer Christian Lata said. “Luckily, the other one was outside and was able to call 911.”
However, when rescue services arrived on the scene, they discovered that steel rebar in the concrete would prevent them from sawing through the vault’s walls. Officials were eventually able to get in contact with a branch employee who remembered the vault’s combination, allowing the teen to be freed without rescuers cutting through the steel door.
“An old employee from across the street, which the bank moved to, was able to come up with a combination which worked,” Lata said.
The teen was trapped in the vault for nearly four hours. It’s not yet clear if he or his friend will face any charges for trespassing on the property.
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