Ohio Firefighters rescue worker trapped in IHOP grease tank for over an hour

A worker spent more than an hour trapped inside an underground grease tank at an IHOP in northwest Ohio before firefighters rescued him Monday, according to Perrysburg Township Fire & EMS.

Fire Chief Thomas Brice confirmed to 614NOW that the incident happened at the Perrysburg IHOP on Fremont Pike.

According to the fire department, the worker became stuck inside a 3,000-gallon underground grease tank used to collect grease from the restaurant’s fryers. He reportedly fell into the tank while cleaning it and was about eight feet below ground. A PVC pipe inside the tank prevented him from climbing out, and customers inside the restaurant heard him calling for help.

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Perrysburg Township firefighters requested Toledo Fire & Rescue’s confined space rescue team to assist. Crews pumped grease from the tank before placing the worker in a rescue harness and lifting him to safety. He was then decontaminated at the scene after being covered in grease.

The worker was ultimately removed safely.

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