How A Man Ended Up Trapped In A Lafayette Storm Drain For Two Days
The biggest question surrounding a bizarre rescue in Lafayette has finally been answered: How did a man end up trapped inside the city's underground drainage system for two days?
Man Rescued From Lafayette Storm Drain
The unusual ordeal ended Tuesday evening when a passerby spotted the man waving a white survey flag through a storm drain grate in the 100 block of West Pont Des Mouton Road.
The passerby called 911, and Lafayette firefighters responded, removed the drain cover and pulled the man to safety.
The rescue came after the man had reportedly spent approximately two days navigating the underground drainage system.
How Did The Man Get Inside The Storm Drain?
According to Sr. Cpl. Ken Handy with the Lafayette Police Department, the man had been hanging out near the coulee and placed his bag inside a storm drain culvert.
When rain began falling, he went underneath Interstate 49 to stay dry. The rainwater eventually swept away his phone and bag.
That's when the situation took an unexpected turn.
Police say the man crawled through the culvert in an attempt to recover his belongings. As he traveled farther into Lafayette's underground drainage system, he became lost in what authorities described as an intricate network of pipes and drains.
Without his phone, he had no easy way to call for help.
A Survey Flag Helped Lead To His Rescue
On the second day, the man reportedly found a white survey flag inside the drainage system.
He eventually reached a location where he could wave the flag through a grate, hoping someone above ground would notice.
Someone did.
Firefighters were then able to locate him and bring him back above ground.
Officials said the man was extremely thirsty following the ordeal. Authorities reportedly saw no signs that he was impaired by drugs or alcohol at the time of the rescue. He was medically evaluated and given water while explaining what had happened.
Handy told The Advocate that in his 13 years with the Lafayette Police Department, this was the first time he had encountered a rescue involving someone trapped in the storm drain system.
Rescue May Not Be The End Of The Story
While getting out of the drainage system was certainly good news for the man, his encounter with police may not be over.
According to Handy, authorities discovered that the man has active warrants for his arrest. Police are now investigating the situation, and his identity has not been released.
Even if those warrants ultimately mean a trip to jail, that's still a considerably better outcome than remaining lost beneath Lafayette, especially with the danger that additional rainfall could have created inside the drainage system.
After two days underground, the mystery of how he got down there has finally been solved.
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Gallery Credit: KATELYN LEBOFF
