Boy falling into hollow concrete pile in southern Vietnam yet to be saved after nearly 3 days
Tuesday, January 03, 2023, 11:04 GMT+7
Although rescue forces took turns saving a 10-year-old boy who fell into a 35-meter-deep hollow concrete pile in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap all day and night, the boy has yet to be saved after nearly three days.
The boy, named Thai Ly Hao Nam, residing in Phu Loi Commune, Thanh Binh District, fell into the concrete pillar, which is planted some 35 meters into the ground and has a diameter of 25 centimeters, at the construction site of the Roc Sen Bridge project in Phu Loi Commune at noon on Saturday.
Since then, more than 350 people, including military officers of the Combat Engineer Brigade 25 under the Military Region 9, and numerous vehicles and equipment have been mobilized. Many solutions to rescue the boy have been come up with.
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| The scene of the incident in which the 10-year-old boy falls into a 35-meter-deep hollow concrete pile in Thanh Binh District, Dong Thap Province. Photo: Tien Trinh / Tuoi Tre |
On Tuesday morning, the rescue forces still raced against the clock to quickly save the boy.
They were striving to drill into the ground around the concrete pillar to create a space so that hollow steel pillars with a diameter of 1.5 meters can be placed around the concrete pile.
Cranes will later be used to pull the concrete pile out of the ground. Rescuers will cut the concrete pile to bring the boy out.
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| An auger is used to drill into the ground next to the concrete pile where the boy is trapped. Photo: Tien Trinh / Tuoi Tre |
Senior Lieutenant Colonel Tran Minh Cong from the Combat Engineer Brigade 25 said rescuers on Monday night used specialized equipment to conduct the rescue plan.
“Despite tremendous efforts, [the rescue has yet to finish] as the incident is rare and the rescue conditions are extremely unfavorable," Cong added.
“Under the plan, after the concrete pile is pulled out, the Combat Engineer Brigade 25 will determine the position of the boy and cut the concrete pile to bring him out."
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| The scene of the incident was blocked on Monday afternoon. Only rescuers and local officials are allowed to be present at the scene. Photo: Buu Long / Tuoi Tre |
On Monday night, a representative of the Ministry of Transport said the ministry had directed the management boards, contractors, and technicians of the My Thuan 2 Bridge and My Thuan-Can Tho Expressway projects and other projects under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transport to prepare human resources and equipment to support the rescue operation.
“The ministry has detached officials to the scene of the incident to discuss rescue solutions with other forces," the representative said.
Major General Phan Van Ty, deputy head of the office of the National Committee for Incident and Natural Disaster Response and Search and Rescue, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Monday afternoon that the committee had asked its subordinate in Dong Thap to take measures to save the boy.
As the concrete pile is planted deeply into the ground, the friction between it and the soil is huge.
Therefore, rescuers have sought to reduce the friction and pull out the concrete pile.
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| Hollow steel pillars are transported to the scene of the incident to help save the boy. Photo: Buu Long / Tuoi Tre |
On Saturday, the boy and three friends came to the Roc Sen Bridge construction site in Phu Loi Commune to pick up scrap iron and Nam fell into the hollow concrete pile by accident.
Sone witnesses said that the boy cried for help for some ten minutes after falling into the concrete pile.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Monday required the mobilization of all possible forces and equipment to rescue the boy.
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