UNION, N.J. (WCBS 880) — A mother in New Jersey made a daring rescue on Thursday after her son fell into an open manhole at a Union County park.
According to a WCBS-TV report, the 2-year-old boy was playing in Kawameeh Park sometime during the morning when the mother suddenly realized he was missing.
Upon inspecting the park, she found an open manhole and realized that the boy had fallen into the gap, the report said.
Fire officials told the outlet that the boy began to float down with sewer water when the mother called 911. When she could no longer make sight of the boy in the tunnel, however, she jumped down into the hole to get him herself.
The mother was able to reach the boy and pull him out before first responders arrived at the scene, according to fire officials who spoke with WCBS-TV.
Union Fire Department Battalion Chief Anthony Schmidtberg told the outlet that it’s about a 6-foot drop to the roughly 2-feet of sewage water below ground.
“When you’re in a situation like that, and it’s your child, you’ll do anything you possibly can to save them,” Schmidtberg told WCBS. “It was more amazing she was able to get them both out because there is no access ladder. She must have grabbed onto the ledge and jumped out.”
It’s possible the manhole cover was taken off by intense wind during Hurricane Ida several weeks ago. Workers were seen in the area searching for other covers that may have been blown off, according to the report.
WCBS-TV reports the child was taken to a local hospital to be evaluated following the fall.