Toddler Falls In Denny's Grease Pit

[sugarfree irony]

Alana Scharenbroch of Kimberly screamed in horror Friday as her 3-year-old son, Wyatt, fell into an unsecured, ground-level cold grease pit outside Denny's restaurant in Grand Chute.

"It smelled like sewage," she said. "I didn't know if it was a contained tube. I thought he was going to get like flushed to the lake or sewer forever."

Wyatt was pulled from the grease pit by his father, Dan Scharenbroch, who has a longer reach than Alana and was able to grab the hood of Wyatt's jacket. Dan estimated the pit is at least 8 feet deep. Wyatt had been submerged in the waste and had swallowed some of it.

Wyatt was taken by ambulance to St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton for treatment. He was held at the hospital for monitoring because it initially was unclear what he had swallowed and whether anything had entered his lungs.

Firefighters who responded to the incident said the manhole covers should have been secured with screws. They worked with Denny's to secure the covers.

"Those covers should never have been unlocked," Alana said. "Each cover required (eight) screws, and there wasn't one screw in any of the covers."

Mark Enders, a Madison-based area manager for Denny's, said the restaurant is investigating why the covers weren't secured and is working with the vendor that services the grease pit "to make sure they are secured moving forward."

http://www.postcrescent.com/story/n...y-rescued-dennys-grease-pit-day-two/22477917/

 

[Macabre]

I smell lawsuit!

 

[Macabre]

And it smells like old cooking grease!

 

[Azryhael]

Oh, that's so gross!

 

[scotwest]

Am I just to cynical to think even though the gate was uncovered their child shouldn't have been near it?

Most of these types of grates are set near the rear of the restaurant near the dumpsters. Usually not close to parking or entrances. How did he end up near that area to begin with?

 

[Forensicwx]

Mmmmm
An ambulance that smells like Moons Over My Hammy...

 

[sugarfree irony]

Am I just to cynical to think even though the gate was uncovered their child shouldn't have been near it?

Most of these types of grates are set near the rear of the restaurant near the dumpsters. Usually not close to parking or entrances. How did he end up near that area to begin with?

According to the mom this one was very close to the sidewalk .

The Scharenbrochs were walking together on a sidewalk that runs along the east side of Denny's when Wyatt asked if he could jump on three green manhole covers located in a landscape bed. The nearest cover is about 2 inches from the sidewalk.

Alana told Wyatt he wasn't allowed to jump on the covers because they looked wet and slippery. Wyatt didn't like her answer and stomped his foot.

"He had one foot on the sidewalk, and then his other foot stomped on the lid and it just flew up in the air," Alana said. "I think it startled him, and he kind of lost his balance and just fell right in."

http://www.postcrescent.com/story/n...y-rescued-dennys-grease-pit-day-two/22477917/

 

[rod2pop]

The article has a photo of the traps...umm, I am having a hard time believing a 3 year old kicked it with enough force to make it fly into the air and far enough away that he could then fall in. Just seems a little strange...just sayin'.

 

[scotwest]

According to the mom this one was very close to the sidewalk .


http://www.postcrescent.com/story/n...y-rescued-dennys-grease-pit-day-two/22477917/

So yeah I should read the main article before commenting

 

[JackBurton]

Can't be worse then having to eat there. Don't know how shithouses like dennys and ihop stay in business. So overpriced and low quality.

 

[Satanica]

It seems to depend on the store, and it's always better to choose one of the breakfast items than a lunch or dinner entree.