Woman Rescued After Falling 'Head First' Into WA Outhouse Toilet

QUILCENE, WA — A woman visiting from California was pulled to safety after she fell into an outhouse toilet in Washington this week, authorities said.

The incident happened atop Mt. Walker, which can be found in the Olympic National Forest, roughly halfway between Quilcene and Brinnon.

The victim, a woman in her 40s, told rescuers that she had dropped her phone and was attempting to fish it out of the vault toilet after dropping it when she slipped in, according to the Brinnon Fire Department.

After dropping her phone, she used her dog's leash to try and retrieve the phone.

"Eventually, she took the leashes to help support herself, which failed, and she slid into and fell into the vault head first," officials wrote in a Facebook post.

The woman spent 20 minutes trying to climb out before she called 911.

Two fire department crews from the Mount Walker area responded and made a "cribbing platform" that they lowered down for the woman to stand on so she could be pulled up.

Firefighters hosed her down and she was given a hazmat suit to wear. Officials strongly recommended that she seek medical attention after being exposed to human waste, but firefighters say she"only wanted to leave" and finish her journey back to California.

"The patient was extremely fortunate not to be overcome by toxic gases or sustain injury," the fire department said.

Toilet issues notwithstanding, Jefferson County is a scenic place to visit. Nearby Port Townsend was even recently listed as one of the best places to visit during spring break.