Man temporarily trapped on opening day for city's new self-cleaning bathroom in West Town

A man was "temporarily trapped" in the city's new self-cleaning bathroom in West Town Wednesday afternoon.

A man used the facility at about 3 p.m. and was finished before the door automatically pops open after 15 minutes, Paul Stewart, managing director of Iluminara Public Affairs, said.

“Everything worked the way it was designed to," said Stewart, saying the unit did not malfunction.

“Apparently this person didn’t see the button,’’ said Stewart, who added there are actually two buttons that users can push to open the door. There are also audio prompts, which assist users in the unit.

“They were kicking the door and trying to force the door open,” Stewart said. “They didn’t know how to get out.”

Those actions also caused the facility, in the 1200 block of North Milwaukee Avenue, to shut down for security purposes, prompting an emergency response from their security personnel and also one of two firehouses in the area who have a key to that unit. 

The fire department responded first, Stewart said, and they were told the person was “agitated,” Stewart said. 

“They flipped the switch and the gentleman came out,” Stewart said.

The man was not injured, said Stewart, who said the situation was similar to being trapped in an elevator.