Firefighters in Burlington had to get creative when faced with a man stuck inside a chimney.

Assistant Fire Marshal Thomas Middleton says police were called early Sunday by a woman who said she heard someone yelling for help near 144 Church Street.

They followed the voice - and footprints on a snowy roof - to find the unidentified man in a chimney. He told them he didn't know how he got there. He was stuck in the chimney for about four hours.

First, they tried to pull him out with a rope, but it didn't work.

Then they had to disassemble part of the chimney to get to the man, whose name isn't being released.

He was taken to Fletcher Allen Health Care for evaluation.