Young boy in Japan dies after getting his arm trapped in machinery
On Sunday (28 Dec), a 5-year-old boy in Hokkaido, Japan, died after his arm got trapped inside a travelator.
The victim, who has been identified as Hinata Goto, was on a ski trip with his family at Asarigawa Onsen Ski Resort when the tragedy occurred.
According to The Mainichi, firefighters were first alerted to the emergency at 10am.
Trapped after falling over
Authorities said the boy had fell while attempting to get off the travelator, which had no handrail.
His arm subsequently became trapped in the machine.
The machine only stopped working when his mother reached for the emergency stop button.
Source: The Mainichi
Facility staff were unable to free the boy from the machine, forcing emergency workers to take it apart.
It took 40 minutes for rescuers to free the boy, who had already fallen unconscious.
Witnesses at the scene said they were able to hear someone shouting words of encouragement for the boy.
The victim was subsequently pronounced dead at the hospital.
Not the first accident at the resort
According to Sankei Shimbun, this particular travelator is prone to accidents.
Several similar falls have been reported to management in the past, with calls for a staff member to supervise the machine.
At the time of the accident, no staff member had been supervising the machinery.
A viral X post also claims that multiple customer reviews have criticised the establishment for their poor safety.
The travelator, which connects the parking lot to the ski slope, is around 30 metres long and 60 centimetres wide.
It moves at a speed of around 50 centimetres per second.
The machine contains an opening at the end, with a brush to remove the snow.
It is believed that this is where the boy’s arm became trapped.
Source: Sankei Shimbun
A spokesperson for the resort apologised for the incident.
They also said that they are working to ensure such incidents do not happen again.
While the resort remains open, the travelator has been shut down as police investigate the incident for professional negligence.
Also read: 2-year-old girl in M’sia dies after being accidentally run over by father’s reversing car
2-year-old girl in M’sia dies after being accidentally run over by father’s reversing car
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Featured image adapted from The Mainichi and Sankei Shimbun.Â
