27-05-2025
Man's Hand Gets Stuck Under Train Armrest While Reaching for AirPods. Why It Took 90 Minutes to Free Him
Firefighters were summoned to a train station in Germany on May 23 after a passenger's hand was stuck under an armrest while looking for his dropped AirPods
Rescuers had to use special equipment to free the man in an operation that took 90 minutes
The man was taken to emergency services and his AirPods were foundA train passenger in Germany faced a complicated rescue after his hand was trapped under an armrest while looking for his fallen Apple AirPods.
The Volunteer Fire Department Lehrte said in an incident report that firefighters responded to the Lehrte train station in Lower Saxony on Friday, May 23, around 10:10 p.m. local time.
'Upon arrival, the situation was such that a man on a Westfalenbahn train traveling toward Braunschweig had his hand trapped under an armrest, behind the seat, in the side paneling, and was unable to free himself,' the fire department stated in the report, which has been translated.
'This was triggered by his AirPods, which had fallen off and slipped into a gap in the side paneling,' the department added.
PEOPLE contacted the Volunteer Fire Department Lehrte for additional information on Tuesday, May 27.
The agency noted that what at first appeared to be a fairly easy rescue turned out to be a complex operation because the passenger's hand was so swollen that simple equipment could not be used.
As a result, emergency responders first dismantled the train's luggage rack and seats and then removed the armrest using a saw.
'A combination spreader was then used to open the side paneling wide enough that the person could finally be freed from his predicament after about an hour and a half,' the fire department report said.
Authorities added that the passenger was then taken to emergency services. His condition remains unknown at this time. Meanwhile, officials noted the AirPods were ultimately recovered.
Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
A blanket covered the side of the train where the rescue operation took place to shield the passenger from onlookers with their phones, according to the fire department.
'Because the operation extended over an extended period of time, the train crew evacuated the train and a replacement train was deployed toward Braunschweig,' officials said.
Read the original article on People
