UPDATE: Sadly paramedics have confirmed that the 4-year-old boy who fell from a Durban flat earlier today, has since passed away in hospital
Netcare 911 spokesperson Shawn Herbst said the child fell from the window of an apartment on the fourth floor at a block of flats at North Beach.
“When paramedics arrived on scene, the patient was found in a critical condition. The patient was treated on scene by Netcare 911 Emergency Care Practitioners and once stabilised was flown by Netcare 911 helicopter ambulance to a specialist facility for further treatment,” Herbst said.
Police are investigating.
In a separate incident in Durban last year, a 5-year-old boy died after he fell from the window of a flat on the beachfront.
IOL reported that the boy had been on holiday with his family from Gauteng at the time of his death.
At the time, Herbst told IOL that the child had fallen from the third, fourth or fifth floor.
He said when paramedics arrived, a lifeguard was resuscitating the child.
“Paramedics took over, but, unfortunately, his condition deteriorated quite rapidly and was declared deceased at the scene,” he said.
Parents and guardians are once more urged to ensure that young children are kept safe at all times.
Advanced Life Support paramedic Garrith Jamieson said paramedics attend to multiple child-related emergencies every week.
“We cannot emphasise how quickly something happens. Kids have no sense of danger, as they are young, and before you know it the incident has happened. These kind of call-outs also affect paramedics, as most have children and can relate. Please keep your children safe and in your sight at all times,” Jamieson said.
IOL