Story By: John Feng, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report
Video Credit: AsiaWire
This is the moment a fireman is sent headfirst down a narrow borehole to save a trapped toddler and her mum before the parent reveals a second child is stuck in another well nearby.
Authorities were sent to the village of Mafu, which is in Yingshan County in Anhui Province in East China, on the afternoon of 14th July after locals found the two-year-old at the bottom of the first well.
Rescue footage shows a fireman being lowered upside down into the opening of the 10-foot well, which measures just 15 inches wide.
Pictures Credit: AsiaWire
Members of the fire service said the tot was foaming at the mouth and the whites of her eyes were turned up due to oxygen deprivation suffered at the bottom of the borehole, which is used for irrigation.
It was only after they had reached the girl that they realised her parent was also trapped underneath too, firefighters said.
The equally oxygen-starved mum was lifted out of the well shortly after, but footage shows her surprising rescuers by asking after another kid, saying: “Where’s the other child?”
A fireman mistakenly believes she is asking about her daughter. He responds: “She’s fine.”
But the struggling mum adds: “There’s another one over there,” pointing to another borehole further ahead.
As rescuers try to determine how many children she had with her at the time of the accident, the tired mum says: “I don’t remember.”
The fire service said the four-year-old boy was fortunately discovered a few moments later. He was rescued by a second fireman who was also sent headfirst down the borehole.
The authorities learned that the boy belonged to a neighbour and is believed to have been playing with the girl and her mum when the accident happened.
The trio were taken to hospital and were not in any life-threatening condition, the fire service said.
Rescuers have yet to determine how the accident happened.
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