JACKSONVILLE, Fla., May 6 (UPI) -- The owner of a Florida restaurant says a suspected burglar became trapped in an air vent and nearly fell into hot oil.

Rana Escamilla, owner of the Mandarin restaurant in Jacksonville, said manager Richard Angers called him to the eatery after he spotted a man's foot hanging out of a grill vent, WKMG-TV in Orlando, Fla., reported Tuesday.

"He was coming down right (over the grill)," Escamilla said. "He would have skittled right onto the grill and into the oil. So, basically, we saved his life by calling the police to get him out.

"He was in pain. He was hurting and he was trapped. That's a really small opening."

Jacksonville police said the suspect, identified as Jason Hammond, was attempting to use the grill vent to get into a nearby pharmacy in the complex.

Hammond, who was charged with burglary, told police he fell into the vent after having an argument with his wife.