N.C. Man Rescued From Portable Toilet—for Third Time

Jan. 18--Monday's call at Rauhut and Hatch streets wasn't the first time Alamance County first responders have had to pull someone out of a port-a-john tank.

In fact, it marked the third time the same man had been stuck inside one, according to the Burlington Police Department.

Officers, firefighters, rescue personnel and paramedics responded to a call Monday afternoon regarding a man being stuck inside a port-a-potty next to a shopping center parking lot on Rauhut Street.

Upon arrival, emergency workers found the door to the port-a-john open and a group of bystanders gathered around as a man was stuck inside the toilet portion of the unit. Firefighters used a saw to cut part of the port-a-john to pull out the man, who was covered in blue liquid.

Someone visiting an ATM in the parking lot had heard the man shouting from inside the port-a-john.

On Tuesday, Burlington police confirmed they had received two previous calls involving the man being stuck in portable toilets, and they suspected he needed mental health attention.

"There's no obvious criminal offense," Sgt. Alan Balog said of the man's practice of climbing into port-a-john tanks, though adding there could potentially be a civil issue from damage caused to the unit while extricating him.

The department is working with RHA Behavioral Health to attempt to get the man treatment and plans to follow up.

As for who owns the particular unit or what it's doing at the corner of the shopping center parking lot, Balog said police are still unsure. An officer called the phone number listed on the side of the port-a-john and left a message, but no one had returned the call as of Tuesday afternoon.

Reporter Natalie Allison Janicello can be reached at nallison@thetimesnews.com or 336-506-3078. Follow her on Twitter at @natalie_allison.

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