9 year old heroine prevents escalator tragedy with swift emergency stop action
A quick-thinking nine year old girl became the focus of admiration after she swiftly activated the emergency stop button on an escalator to save a boy whose foot was trapped. This incident which unfolded at a shopping mall in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, astounded many adults as they watched the video that captured the girl’s swift response in the emergency.
The incident unfolded on the afternoon of July 19. The chilling moment, captured on CCTV, shows the young girl sprinting towards the escalator’s base immediately after noticing a boy’s foot trapped. She didn’t hesitate and instantly pressed the emergency stop button.
Upon hearing the distressed cries, mall personnel promptly alerted rescue teams. Wuhan Fire and Rescue dispatched six officers to the scene. The boy’s foot was wedged in a gap on the side of the escalator, prompting responders to cut his shoes and attempt to pry apart the escalator’s siding to free the child’s foot. However, the stubborn gap proved challenging. Hence, maintenance teams were called in to help dismantle the control panel, allowing the gap to be widened. After approximately 10 minutes of effort, the authorities successfully extricated the boy’s foot.
In an interview with local media, the boy’s mother recounted the incident on that fateful afternoon, saying that four children were descending on the escalator to shop on the lower level when disaster struck. The boy’s foot got lodged in an opening on the side of the escalator. However, a girl in the group, exceptionally alert, knew where the emergency button was and raced to press it without delay, she said.
Indeed, fortune was on their side. The escalator halted instantly, and the rescue unit arrived just in time, preventing severe injuries. The boy only sustained minor swelling on his right foot. A potential catastrophe was averted, thanks to the timely intervention by the quick-witted girl. Her presence of mind in this critical incident was a remarkable display of courage and resourcefulness.
In related news, at Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport, a Thai woman tragically lost a leg when she collapsed on an escalator. To read the full story click HERE.
