While most of us find Singapore’s sweltering hot weather uncomfortable or annoying, it can be dangerous or even fatal for those in certain situations. For instance, when a toddler can’t get out of a vehicle on their own.
This was the case for a one-year-old boy trapped inside a locked car.
The situation escalated due to the weather, which caused temperatures inside the vehicle to skyrocket.
Fortunately, Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers arrived promptly at the scene. They managed to break through the glass of the rear window and rescue the child.
Shin Min Daily News reports that the incident occurred at around 11.30am along Lim Liak Street in Tiong Bahru on Sunday (5 Jun).
Source: @quangphu194 on TikTok
The boy’s mother and a helper were also there but could not get to him. It is believed that they had intended to carry the child out, but the doors automatically locked themselves and the keys were inside.
A witness told the paper that the boy kept crying inside the car. His mother was also panicking and ran to the nearby market to ask for help.
She also stood by the car window to try and calm her son down.
The rising temperatures made the situation even more precarious, as there were concerns about the boy’s increased risk of getting a heat stroke.
According to Shin Min Daily News, the toddler was stuck inside the car for about half an hour.
SCDF officers eventually responded to the scene and quickly started their rescue mission. They broke the glass window and pulled the boy from the car in an operation that took about 15 minutes.
Netizens who witnessed the rescue also posted the footage to TikTok. One video shows three SCDF personnel using a tool to smash the corners of the window on the back door.
Source: @quangphu194 on TikTok
They then carefully removed the entire pane and placed it on a grass patch next to them.
In a second video, the boy finally reunites with his understandably frantic mother.
At the moment, it is unclear whether the air-conditioning in the car was turned on while the boy was inside.
Responding to MS News‘ queries, SCDF said they received a call for assistance at 23 Lim Liak Street at about 11.40am on 5 Jun.
Officers used rescue equipment to free a child inside the car. An SCDF paramedic assessed the child after the rescue.
With the hot weather and the tendency for vehicles to warm up without air conditioning inside, the situation could have become extremely dangerous for the boy.
Fortunately, he emerged unharmed and is safely back with his family. Such a happy conclusion was only possible due to SCDF’s efficient rescue efforts.
While this sounded like it was just an accident, perhaps it can also serve as an important reminder for parents to be a lot more careful when their child is inside the car.
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Featured image adapted from @quangphu194 on TikTok and TikTok.
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