5 days ago
Rescuers take hours to free teen's arm from canal grating in Cebu City
It took rescuers five hours to free a teenager whose arm got stuck in a canal cover in Barangay Santo Niño, Cebu City.
According to Alan Domingo's Thursday report on '24 Oras,' the 15-year-old was trying to retrieve some coins from the sewer on Plaridel Street.
The rescuers first tried using a reciprocating saw, but had to look for another option after five blades broke on the sturdy grill. The boy's arm, meanwhile, had swollen from being stuck for so long.
'Sobra ang pagkakaipit na kung gagamitan naming ng power tools, natatakot kami na baka mas lalong maiipit [His arm was stuck so tight that we were afraid of using power tools, because he might get even more stuck],' Fire Officer 3 James Formentera said in Bisaya.
Finally, after working on the cover with a hydraulic cutter and handheld saws, the rescuers were finally able to extricate the boy. He was brought to the hospital and is now in good condition.
The teenager was among those called 'kawkaw,' who make a living by retrieving coins from canals. He said he had been able to retrieve about P50 worth of coins. — Mariel Celine Serquiña/BM, GMA Integrated News
