Elevator shaft rescue at abandoned San Jose psychiatric hospital
San Jose Fire rescues person trapped in elevator shaft at abandoned psychiatric hospital
San Jose firefighters navigated the darkened hallways of a long-abandoned psychiatric hospital Saturday evening to execute an unusual rescue operation.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - San Jose firefighters navigated the darkened hallways of a long-abandoned psychiatric hospital Saturday evening to execute an unusual rescue operation.
Crews were called to the former Agnews State Hospital after an individual fell down an elevator shaft and became trapped at the bottom. To reach and free the trapped victim, firefighters had to deploy the Jaws of Life.
Following the extrication, San Jose Police said the individual was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
A hotspot for urban exploration
While the historic campus is strictly off-limits to the public and actively monitored by security, it remains a well-known destination for urban explorers drawn to its extensive history and local folklore.
Originally opened in 1889 as the Agnews Insane Asylum, the facility has a history marked by tragedy. In 1906, the Great San Francisco Earthquake leveled one of its primary buildings, killing 100 patients. The facility later closed its doors permanently in 2011.
"Part of the thing about Agnews, probably one of the reasons this occurred, is because it’s so well known," said a former local urban explorer, whose voice was altered to protect his identity. "It’s an abandoned building so there were hazards everywhere, and most of the fun of being in there is that it’s a bit of a hazard."
The risks
Rumors of hauntings inside the old hospital continue to attract both amateur and experienced explorers to the restricted grounds, frequently under the cover of night.
"It’s dark out, you go at night, when security has the least chance to see you," said the urban explorer. "So you’re sneaking around and you’re freaking out, you’re on high alert, hopefully high alert to notice the elevator shaft."
While it remains unclear exactly what the victim was doing inside the facility before the fall, the incident highlights the physical dangers inherent to the deteriorating structures on the property.
"Obviously we knew that being in a place like that, climbing up multiple stories in an abandoned building that you have to be on the lookout and aware of stuff like that," the explorer added. "The fact that this one happened, and thankfully he survived, is probably as good of an outcome as you could hope for."
Police confirmed that despite the campus restrictions, no criminal charges have been filed against the rescued individual.