South Jordan girl gets stuck in washing machine

A South Jordan girl was stuck in a washing machine for more than an hour after she climbed inside during a game of hide-and-seek.

The girl, 11, was playing the game with her siblings when she climbed into the machine Tuesday afternoon, said South Jordan Battalion Chief Reed Thompson. After a while, she realized she would not be found and tried to get out.

But her legs had fallen asleep while she was curled up, and the washing machine was beneath a stackable dryer, leaving only enough space to open and close the washer's lid, Thompson said. The girl called for help, but her parents could not get her out.

When firefighters arrived, the girl was so panicked and in pain she couldn't help get herself out, Thompson said. Crews arrived with extraction tools typically reserved for traffic crashes. They removed the stackable dryer and prepared to cut through the washing machine but then discovered they could pull the girl out of the regular opening.

The girl regained normal function of her legs and was not taken to a hospital, Thompson said.

Erin Alberty