Two-year-old and rescuer die after child falls into Abule Egba well
- A toddler fell into a domestic well at Abule Egba, Lagos, on Tuesday morning.
- A man who climbed in to save the child became trapped and was recovered dead.
- Emergency teams could not recover the toddler's body from thick mud; only a shoe was found.
A two-year-old child and a man who climbed into a well to rescue the child have both died at Abule Egba in Lagos, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said.
The incident happened on Tuesday, 20 October, at No. 4, Paul Street, inward Agbe Road, Abule Egba. LASEMA said it received a distress call at 9:48am and sent a response team from its Igando base.
According to the agency's Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the toddler's mother worked as a cleaner in the compound. The child accidentally fell into the well.
A man from the Hausa community living in the area went down into the well to try to save the child, but he became trapped and could not climb out.
Rescuer recovered dead
When LASEMA responders arrived, residents were already trying to rescue both of them. The agency worked with the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps and the Nigeria Police Force.
The man was recovered dead. His body was placed in a body bag and handed over to his relatives and members of the Hausa community for burial according to their customs.
Oke-Osanyintolu commiserated with the man's family and the community, describing his attempt to save the child as an act of exceptional bravery.
Efforts to reach the toddler were hampered by a high water level and thick mud at the bottom of the well. The teams tried to drain the well but ran into operational difficulties.
A specialist local diver was later brought in for a final search. According to the agency, the diver reported that the child's body had sunk deep into the mud and could no longer be recovered. Only one shoe was found.
After the expert's assessment and talks with the family and community leaders, the operation was ended and all responders returned to their bases.
Safety warning for residents
Oke-Osanyintolu urged residents to make sure wells and other openings in their compounds are properly covered, raised and secured, especially in homes with young children.
He also advised people not to attempt dangerous rescue operations without the right equipment and trained personnel, and to call emergency services on the toll-free numbers 767 or 112 instead.
In a separate incident, LASEMA's Eagle Response Team from its Cappa base cleared a broken-down articulated truck loaded with bags of clothes at Challenge Bus Stop, inward Cappa. The agency said the truck had a damaged propeller and was blocking traffic. Its heavy-duty equipment, Super Metro, was used to remove it and normal traffic flow was restored.
