Asher Vongtau, a 19-year-old New York University student who became trapped between two buildings in lower Manhattan, was rescued on Sunday.
Officials say rescue workers had to breach a concrete wall to gain access to Asher Vongtau, who was found wedged in an area about six to 18 inches wide between an NYU dorm and a parking garage on Sunday evening. The address where the wall was breached was 80 Lafayette Street, the FIre Department of New York said via Twitter.
Space between buildings at 80 Lafayette St, #Manhattan, where man fell. Wall breached by #FDNY firefighters. pic.twitter.com/B7hH847ti9
— FDNY (@FDNY) November 4, 2013
#FDNY FFs breached wall at 80 Lafayette St, #Manhattan, to remove man who was trapped between buildings. pic.twitter.com/nbME4bwt1A
— FDNY (@FDNY) November 4, 2013
It took rescue workers over an hour and half to pull the student out. Police say Vongtau was conscious and taken to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition.
It’s unclear how the student got stuck, although he may have fell. A fire official said the only way to get to the site is from above. University officials told Pix11 that Vongtau was missing since Saturday night.
Michael Yablon, 19, a friend, told the New York Daily News:
“I was one of the last ones to see him. He left my room at 7 a.m. Saturday. I texted him later that day but he never responded.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
