Story By: Jonathan Macias, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
These images show the two-year-old boy who has suffered burns to his limbs after falling on the hot metal flooring of a bridge which had been sitting in 30-degree heat.
The accident took place in the city of Villa Carlos Paz in the province of Cordoba in central Argentina which is currently in summer and saw temperatures rise above 30 degrees Celsius last weekend.
Local media report the toddler, whose name has not been reported, fell on the bridge while he was walking with his mother and suffered burns of different degrees on his hands, arms and right leg.
According to local media, the metal floor burnt the child’s limbs as it had been heated up by the high temperatures.
The mother, whose name is not reported, told radio news programme ‘Cadena 3’: “He burnt his hands, his arm and his leg. I rushed to the Private Hospital of Cordoba, but no surgeons specialised in burns were there.”
She added: “Then I was transferred to the Children’s Hospital but they did not help us because I have the OSDE (Argentinian health insurance). We ended up in the hospital Allende at 8pm. Thank God my child is okay.”
The degrees of the burns have not been reported.
According to local media, some local shop owners claim two more children have previously suffered burns on the bridge before.
The bridge was reportedly opened this Christmas season as an improvement for pedestrians in the area, although the exact opening date remains is unclear.
Martin Gutierrez, who works as an engineer for the municipality, told local media: “We had built four more footbridges in another park and we never had problems. That is why we decided to continue using this technology.”
Gutierrez also confirmed the municipality will paint the surface with paint resistant to high temperatures and they will put warning signs about the hazard.
It is unclear if the tot’s parents plan on taking legal action.
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