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Police and firefighters in Vancouver, Canada, forced their way into a local art gallery late at night after receiving an emergency report of a person allegedly needing urgent medical assistance, only to discover that the 'person' in distress was an exceptionally realistic sculpture
The unusual incident occurred on 14 August at Access Gallery when a concerned passerby spotted a pair of feet sticking out from behind a counter.
Believing someone inside the building was trapped or injured, the caller alerted emergency services. When responding police officers failed to contact anyone inside the locked venue, firefighters breached the entrance gate and forced open the doors to carry out a rescue.
Upon entry, first responders found no injured person
Instead, they were greeted by The Preparator, a lifelike installation created by artist Alyssa Pierre.
The artwork depicts an art handler kneeling over a wooden crate with their upper torso hidden inside, leaving only their lower legs and footwear visible to people looking through the gallery window.
Allysa Piere's The Preparator.
Image via Access GalleryThe piece forms part of the gallery's ongoing PENDING exhibition, which was specifically designed to highlight the often-overlooked technical staff who prepare and install art
The rescue operation left the non-profit gallery facing a repair bill of nearly USD1,000 (RM4,450) to fix its damaged lock and security gate.
Gallery director Saghi Ehteshamzadeh expressed frustration over the situation, noting that a quick search on the gallery's website would have instantly confirmed the figure was an artwork.
A neighbour living opposite the building had attempted to inform officers at the scene that the figure was part of an active exhibition, but police reportedly refused to take her word for it.
The gallery has since filed a compensation claim with the City of Vancouver to recover the repair costs
To prevent similar late-night false alarms and accidental break-ins by emergency crews in the future, staff now plan to cover the sculpture every night before closing the gallery.
