Sewage dip likely not on man's Xmas list

DES MOINES, Iowa, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- An Iowa man probably would rather have gotten coal in his stocking this holiday season rather than end up as he did, head-first in a hole full of sewage.

Des Moines resident Toni Shoff said that her husband somehow managed to end up trapped in a hole headfirst while working on their septic tank on Christmas Eve, Iowa's KCCI-TV, Des Moines, reported Wednesday.

"It plugged up apparently and he was trying to unplug it and I don't know if he did or not," Shoff said.

Firefighters were immediately rushed to the scene and were eventually able to free Robert Shoff, albeit after an hour and once he was already coated with sewage.

While the unfortunate man was not injured in his unusual accident, firefighter Matt McBride said it was unlikely that Shoff had planned to spend a portion of the holiday season covered in sewage.

"Not where you want to be on Christmas Eve," McBride told KCCI-TV.