It works for Santa Claus. That’s what a teenager must have been thinking when he tried to sneak into a home through the chimney, apparently in an attempt to burglarize the home in question. His plans were interrupted, however, when the homeowner unwittingly started a fire in the fireplace. the 19-year-old died of burns & smoke inhalation. He was seared and smoked while wedged in the chimney.

Every year we cover stories of people getting caught in chimneys. Usually it’s teenagers trying to sneak back into their house after a night out, or young people playing around and doing things on a dare. Just recently a teen who had been missing for several years, was found wedged in the chimney of a cabin. (See our story: Teen Missing for Seven Years Is Found) In the outside chance that your teen ever gets this idea in mind, make sure your kids understand that not only are they likely to get stuck, but modern chimneys come with screens that prevent them from completing such a journey anyway.