A boy and his grandfather were rescued from a hole in the ground Monday evening in the Lakeview neighborhood.
The 5-year-old fell into the utility hole about 5 p.m. in the 400 block of West Briar Place, Chicago police said.
A grate covering the “light shaft” suddenly gave way when the boy was on it, Chicago Fire Dept. Deputy Chief Walter Schroeder said.
The boy’s grandfather came to pull him out but became stuck himself, authorities said. Police and fire crews arrived and rescued them.
The boy was taken to Lurie Children’s Hospital with an injury to his abdomen, Schroeder said. He was transported in serious condition, but police said his condition had stabilized. The grandfather was uninjured.