By Cindy Von Quednow
The Ventura County Star
CHANNEL ISLANDS, Calif. — A 14-year-old was rescued Sunday night from an abandoned water cistern at a wooded area at CSU Channel Islands by Ventura County fire personnel, authorities said.
Five teens appeared to have used a rope to go about 20 feet down the underground structure and started a small warming fire, said Battalion Chief Scott Schuster of the Ventura County Fire Department. Once smoke from the fire began to rise, four of the teenagers could get out of the structure, but one of them fell back into the cistern as he was trying to get out, authorities said.
It initially was unclear to campus police and the Fire Department where the incident occurred, but first responders were flagged down along University Drive near Rincon Drive, authorities said.
About 6:15 p.m. fire personnel rescued the teen in the structure and put out the fire, officials said.
The teen and two others, who were all conscious, were taken to St. John’s Pleasant Valley Medical Center in Camarillo to be evaluated, officials said. It was unclear whether they suffered smoke inhalation. Campus police interviewed about 10 teenagers at the site who apparently flagged down first responders. It was unclear whether the group was with the teens who went into the cistern, authorities said.
Sgt. Shawn Bartlett with CSU Channel Islands police said the area is popular with teens, who often skateboard or smoke marijuana, but he said he had never responded to an incident like Sunday’s. The teens were technically trespassing and created an illegal fire, but it is too early to determine whether they will be cited, he added.
Bartlett said it did not appear drugs or alcohol were involved.
Nancy Gill, a spokeswoman with the university, said the investigation is continuing and campus police will speak with the teens’ parents to determine the next action.
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