Canberra residents come together to rescue child standing on 3rd-storey ledge
Sarah Koh
The Straits Times
October 21, 2024
A 25-year-old woman is assisting with police investigations after a toddler was seen standing on the third-storey ledge of an HDB block in Canberra Road before being rescued by a member of the public.
A video of the incident on Oct 20 went viral on social media, which showed a boy dressed in pyjamas, staring blankly ahead as he stands on the ledge outside the window of a unit.
Some concerned onlookers on the ground floor are seen holding a blanket open to catch the boy in case he falls.
With palms placed against a wall to steady himself, a man is seen walking slowly towards the boy on the ledge. He picks up the toddler and puts the boy back in the flat through an open window.
An eyewitness, who posted about the incident on Facebook, said several residents tried to knock on the door of the boy's home, but no one answered the door. However, the man who rescued the child realised later that there was an adult in the house.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, the police and Singapore Civil Defence Force said they were alerted to the incident at Block 350C Canberra Road at around 11.50am.
A three-year-old boy was seen standing on the ledge outside the window, before he was brought to safety by a member of the public before officers arrived, said the police.
A 25-year-old woman is assisting with investigations into a case of negligence, said police, adding that investigations are ongoing.
The toddler was taken to KK Women's and Children's Hospital as a precautionary measure, said the SCDF.
"Members of the public rendered assistance during the incident," said the force. "SCDF will be reaching out to commend them for their public spiritness."
