LA Zoo worker rescued after falling into gorilla enclosure
LOS ANGELES -- An employee at the Los Angeles Zoo was rescued after falling into the gorilla enclosure on Thursday, fire officials said.
The gorillas were in their "bedrooms" at the time of the fall, which was reported around 8:30 a.m., and the worker was never in danger from the animals, according to ABC News.
The LAFD Urban Search and Rescue team lowered down a basket for the rescue, which took approximately 25 minutes.
The employee was safely extricated from the enclosure around 9 a.m. and was transported to an area hospital in fair condition with a possibly fractured femur.
LAFD Public Service Officer Margaret Stewart said the protocol in this type of incident is to transport the patient to a trauma center since it is considered a "long fall," defined as greater than 20 feet.
It is unknown how the fall occurred.
