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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| US girl survives 14-storey fall | US girl survives 14-storey fall |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| A 12-year-old girl who fell 14 floors down a chimney in her apartment block in New York was saved by a pile of soot at the bottom. | A 12-year-old girl who fell 14 floors down a chimney in her apartment block in New York was saved by a pile of soot at the bottom. |
| Grace Bergere suffered no internal injuries when she landed in 2ft (60cm) of soot in the basement furnace of the building in the West Village area. | Grace Bergere suffered no internal injuries when she landed in 2ft (60cm) of soot in the basement furnace of the building in the West Village area. |
| She had taken a visiting cousin up to the rooftop to admire the view of the Hudson River. | She had taken a visiting cousin up to the rooftop to admire the view of the Hudson River. |
| Her father described her survival as an "absolute miracle". | |
| The building's janitor said he was glad he had not had the chimney swept. | The building's janitor said he was glad he had not had the chimney swept. |
| Sooty hand | Sooty hand |
| Grace and her cousin went up to the rooftop viewing platform on Thursday night, fire officials said. | Grace and her cousin went up to the rooftop viewing platform on Thursday night, fire officials said. |
| To reach the highest point, Grace climbed up a 25ft (7.6m) ladder alongside the large brick chimney. | To reach the highest point, Grace climbed up a 25ft (7.6m) ladder alongside the large brick chimney. |
| But when she reached the top, she fell into the chimney and plunged down the narrow flue. | But when she reached the top, she fell into the chimney and plunged down the narrow flue. |
| Her cousin alerted emergency services and janitor Angelo Guagenti found himself being woken up by fire-fighters frantically trying to get access to the boiler room. | Her cousin alerted emergency services and janitor Angelo Guagenti found himself being woken up by fire-fighters frantically trying to get access to the boiler room. |
| She was covered in soot. She was black all over Angelo Guagenti Janitor | She was covered in soot. She was black all over Angelo Guagenti Janitor |
| "I think she probably went down head first and landed on her back," fire Lt Simon Ressner said. | "I think she probably went down head first and landed on her back," fire Lt Simon Ressner said. |
| While her father screamed her name, fire-fighters opened a metal door at the bottom of the chimney, fearing the worst. | While her father screamed her name, fire-fighters opened a metal door at the bottom of the chimney, fearing the worst. |
| Instead, they saw Grace's little hand poking out of the soot. | Instead, they saw Grace's little hand poking out of the soot. |
| "I just jumped back," Lt Ressner told reporters. | "I just jumped back," Lt Ressner told reporters. |
| "I wasn't expecting anybody alive at the bottom of the shaft, so I was shocked." | "I wasn't expecting anybody alive at the bottom of the shaft, so I was shocked." |
| "She was covered in soot. She was black all over," Mr Guagenti told the New York Daily News. | "She was covered in soot. She was black all over," Mr Guagenti told the New York Daily News. |
| The girl's father, Steve Berger, comforted her as she was taken to hospital, where she is being treated for a broken hip. | The girl's father, Steve Berger, comforted her as she was taken to hospital, where she is being treated for a broken hip. |