Fujairah Rescue: Domestic Worker Holds Seven-Year-Old Boy Safe After Well Collapse

A 25-year-old Ethiopian domestic worker helped protect a seven-year-old boy after they both fell into a well at a house in Murayshid, Fujairah, on Saturday afternoon. Despite suffering a leg fracture, she held on to the child until emergency teams arrived.

The event happened at 3:30pm, when the youngster was visiting his mother’s family house. The boy, who suffers from hyperactivity, had been under the care of two domestic helpers because his family wished to keep him safe.

The accident occurred as the youngster fled into the area behind the home. A recently recruited worker followed him, unaware that a covered well was nearby.

The well was covered in slabs and stone. The youngster and the worker stepped onto the covering without realising the well was underneath. The lid came way beneath their weight, allowing them to fall within.

Fujairah Rescue Worker Held Boy Until Teams Arrived

After the collapse, the injured worker called for assistance from inside the well. Another worker, who was asleep at the time, heard the screaming and promptly called the police for help.

While waiting for rescue, the injured worker hugged the boy near and supported herself with an iron part from inside the well. Despite her wounds and the terrible conditions inside the well, she held on to him.

When police, Civil Defence, and national ambulance teams arrived, she ensured that the youngster was handed over to the rescuers first. She was eventually hauled out, and both were taken to the hospital.

The youngster was checked at the hospital and released the next day. After suffering a leg fracture, the domestic worker remained at Fujairah Hospital for treatment.

Colonel Khalid Rabie Al Hamoudi, Deputy Director of the Fujairah Civil Defence Department, later paid the boy’s family a visit at their house. He checked on the child and went to see the injured worker in the hospital.

Fujairah Rescue Highlights Need to Secure Wells

Following the incident, the family took additional precautions to keep anyone from reaching the well. A robust iron cover was installed, as well as an iron door and barrier around the area.

The Fujairah Civil Defence Department asked residents, farm owners, and landowners to correctly secure their wells. It recommended them to keep wells covered tightly and to use barriers and clear warning signs as needed.

The department warned that unprotected or poorly protected wells pose a major risk to both children and adults. It also emphasised that preventing such incidents is a shared duty, and that simple safety precautions can help save lives.

The incident ended with the boy safely leaving hospital, while the domestic worker continued treatment for her leg injury. The rescue also highlighted the importance of keeping potentially dangerous areas properly protected, particularly where children may have access to them.