A suspected burglar who climbed into the chimney of a house in California, United States, was killed when the home owner lit a fire without knowing anyone was there, local police told Reuters on Sunday.
The incident occurred on Saturday in the rural town of Huron, a statement from the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said.
The suspected burglar appeared to have climbed into the chimney during the night in an attempt to enter the house while the homeowner was away and then became stuck, the statement said.
The homeowner told the sheriff’s office he had a man yell after he lit the fire, as the house filled with smoke.
While the homeowner tried unsuccessfully to put out the fire, firefighters who came later broke down the mortar chimney in an effort to rescue the suspect who died inside.
The dead man’s identity and cause of death are yet to be determined, the sheriff’s office confirmed.