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Visitor trapped in Chicago jail for about 30 hours

This Sept. 29, 2011 photo shows Section - 5 at the Cook County Jail in Chicago. AP Photo/M. Spencer Gree

CHICAGO – A visitor to Chicago’s Cook County Jail was trapped inside for about 30 hours over the July Fourth weekend.

WBBM-AM reports  a man was in the jail’s maximum security division visiting his son when he went into a room that wasn’t being used. The room’s door was propped open by contractors installing cameras.

Jail Executive Director Cara Smith says the door closed, locking the visitor inside from about 6 p.m. Saturday until 1 a.m. Monday.

READ MORE: Inmate hid in laundry basket to escape, say police

Smith says the man pounded on the door, but its thickness muffled his efforts. The man drew attention to his plight by breaking a fire sprinkler head to summon the fire department.

Smith says investigators are trying to determine why the door was open and why no one noticed the man hadn’t checked out.

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