Reporter Joseph Serna took a different approach to reporting on a fateful dare in Koreatown earlier today:

‘Twas the nightmare before Christmas, for one man in K-Town.

He got stuck in a chimney Friday, about 30 feet down.

He climbed in the passageway because of a dare.

His only hope of rescue: that L.A firefighters would be there.

For four long, cramped hours, his friends tried to save him.

But as sunrise approached, his chances looked slim.

Firefighters were called; the chimney was just 18 inches wide.

They looked through the top, the bottom – thought of cutting open the side.

In the end, the 20-year-old was freed. He managed to shimmy out.

But there’s vandalism to the chimney that cops are citing him about.

The pals were drinking and daring, Sgt. Raul Pedroza said.

They were doing “silly things,” not using their heads.

Serna recounted the process that led to a bit of journalistic poetry:

I was reading out loud what a possible lead could be, thinking of playing off the idea of a man stuck in a chimney so Christmas coming early, or just the idea of not following through on a dare. Then Kimi [one of our editors] said what this kid when through was “a nightmare before Christmas.” When I wrote “It was the nightmare before Christmas,” in my head I reflexively began reciting the Twas the Night Before Christmas poem. So I went with it!

For the full story, making up for its lack of rhyme with solid reporting, head over to L.A. Now.

(Source: Los Angeles Times)