Razor Wire Becomes Unexpected Obstacle for Firefighters That Rescued Man on Top of Border Wall

A man stranded atop the U.S.-Mexico border wall in Otay Mesa on Thursday morning was safely rescued by San Diego firefighters after razor wire installed as a deterrent impeded his descent.

The incident drew emergency crews to the area of Britannia Boulevard and Britannia Court around 6:50 a.m., where the individual was found about 30 feet up between two fences, according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.

Battalion Chief Kyle Kutzke, speaking to OnSceneTV, explained that the man had climbed the tall barrier but was unable to come down due to the coils of concertina wire layered along the top, an element that also complicated the rescue, according to Times of San Diego.

“The concertina wire was kind of an obstacle for all of us, for the person that was up there,” Kutzke said. “It was something that we had to work around (during) the assistance we were providing.

Firefighters eventually used a long extension ladder during the 45-minute operation to bring the man down uninjured. The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department confirmed that the rescue was successful, although no further information was released about the individual’s identity or nationality.

While wall-related rescues and injuries appear to be declining in San Diego County, they have not ceased entirely. A report published by the San Diego Union-Tribune last week noted a steep drop in border wall fall injuries this year, citing UC San Diego Health and Scripps Health which together reported only 35 cases in the first quarter of 2025, compared to over 150 during the same period in 2024.

The decrease follows heightened border enforcement actions including a national emergency declaration in January and the deployment of military units, as well as increased patrols by Mexico’s National Guard. Still, injuries continue.

Migrant advocacy groups warn that while enhanced deterrence may reduce wall crossings, it also pushes migrants toward more hazardous alternatives, including remote land routes and maritime entries. “It’s a good thing that people are not climbing over the border wall,” said Adriana Jasso of the American Friends Service Committee to The San Diego Union-Tribune. “However, it’s a bad thing when people don’t have a viable way of safely presenting themselves for an asylum claim.”