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Rushing Rainwater Sweeps Homeless Man Down Canal For 30 Minutes
A man inadvertently went on a dangerous journey today when he was swept down a canal full of rainwater for close to a half hour.
The 43-year-old homeless man claimed he was sleeping on a large board in a tunnel when rainwater began rushing in. The man was then carried on his board down the Carbon Creek channel in Placentia, City News Service reports. The man said he traveled down the canal for 30 minutes before getting out uninjured and walking into a McDonalds restroom on Chapman and Placentia Avenues to dry himself off.
Meanwhile, rescuers were looking for him for two hours, dispatching helicopters and looking as far as Long Beach Harbor to find him, the O.C. Register says. When the man emerged from the restroom and found rescuers at a gas station cross the street, he walked over to them and announced, "I think you're looking for me."
The man, who was described by O.C. Fire Captain Steve Concialdi as "soaking wet, cold and tired," was then taken to a fire station to warm up. But, like a true canal-travelling badass, the man refused any medical attention offered by the rescue crew.
We're sure he'll tell his friends stories about his adventurous trip through the unforgiving canals of Placentia.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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