A three-year-old boy in Xining, China, was rescued from a septic tank by a passerby after falling through a broken manhole cover on Sunday. The boy, known by his nickname Zai Zai, was playing in a residential complex when the cover gave way under his weight, plunging him into the four-metre-deep tank.
The rescuer, Li Mingjun, a father of three, was alerted by the boy's aunt who had been watching him. He rushed to the scene and used his belt as a makeshift rope, with his wife holding the other end, to lower himself into the narrow shaft. When the belt proved too short, his wife removed her top and tied it to extend the line.
Once inside the methane-filled tank, Mr Li used his mouth to keep the boy's head above water, as there was no foothold. He held the child afloat for about 40 minutes until the aunt returned with additional help. Both were pulled out unharmed.
The residential complex management stated that the manhole cover had been damaged by vehicles driving over it. Following the incident, a new cover was installed to prevent further accidents.
