Fire department rescues 2-year-old trapped inside claw machine

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Saturday, May 5, 2018
Fire department called to rescue a child stuck in a claw machine
Fire department called to rescue a child stuck in a claw machine

ALLENTOWN, Pennsylvania (KTRK) -- Firefighters in Allentown, Pennsylvania rushed to save a boy who was trapped inside of an arcade claw machine.

Surveillance video captured the scary moment when first responders were called to the laundromat to rescue the 2-year-old.

"First it came in as a child trapped in a vending machine. I was thinking that someone tried to put their child into the machine and get their arm in there to pull down a Snickers bar or a Milky Way or something," firefighter Tod Weisal said.

Josiah Cruz reportedly wandered to the laundromat's play area while his mom folded clothes. Cruz became interested in the plush teddy bears inside the machine and tried to get one by using the buttons on the machine.

When that didn't work the 2-year old decided to climb inside. Seconds later, the mom realized her son was missing and found him stuck inside the machine.

"We got in there and looked at the hole and how small it was and that he was actually in there. It was pretty crazy," firefighter John Burkhart said.

It took first responders about 10 minutes to rescue the little boy from the machine.

"Once he came out, she was right there, scooped him up and medics checked him out. He's all good," Weisal said.

Afterward, a laundromat employee offered the boy one of the teddy bears, but after all the excitement the boy turned it down.