Authorities release 911 call from friend of teen locked in bank vault

Panicked teen in tears as apologetic friend calls 911

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Authorities released Thursday night the 911 call a teenage boy made after his friend got trapped inside an abandoned bank's vault in Hollywood. 

Police said the teenagers were exploring the abandoned Bank of America building Wednesday afternoon when the massive door closed.

"Me and my friend are in an abandoned bank and the vault closed on him and he's locked in here," the boy told a 911 dispatcher. 

The teenager was trapped for more than three hours.

During the 911 call, the dispatcher heard the boy apologizing to his panicking friend. 

"Alright, stop crying, bro," the trapped teen's friend said. "They're coming."

Firefighters arrived soon after, but they struggled to open the vault.

The boy's hero was a bank employee who was able to remember the vault's combination before it moved across the street. Police said the teens won't face trespassing charges.


About the Authors:

Louis Aguirre is an Emmy-award winning journalist who anchors weekday newscasts and serves as WPLG Local 10’s Environmental Advocate.

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.