Toddler’s bathtub ordeal ends safely

How often does something as simple as taking a bath result in a call to the fire brigade?

Recently, an incident in Barcelona required an unusual rescue operation when a toddler faced a frightening situation.

The drama unfolded on Monday afternoon, March 18, when a 16-month-old girl got her finger stuck in her home’s bath plughole. The Barcelona Fire Brigade was summoned to the scene, initiating a delicate operation to free the young girl’s finger.

Swift response and ingenuity

The firefighters were confronted with a challenge that demanded both creativity and caution. Unable to release the girl’s finger on-site, they made the decision to cut a section of the bathtub away.

Accompanied by the bathtub fragment, the toddler was then transported to a hospital for further assistance.

Once at the hospital, and with the expertise of medical staff at their disposal, the firefighters successfully removed the metal drainage piece which ensnared the toddler’s finger. Despite the potential for serious injury, the girl emerged from the ordeal unscathed, much to the relief of her family and the rescue team.

A happy conclusion

Today, the Barcelona Fire Brigade took to Twitter/X to share details of this unique rescue. They posted images showing the rescue team at work, highlighting the operation’s complexity.

‘Oh, oh, oh! Yesterday afternoon we attended a 16 month old baby who had a little finger stuck in the bathtub drain. We broke part of the drain and took the baby to the hospital to free her, and it all ended without consequences, apart from the scare.’

One particular photo, taken at the hospital, captured the moment the drain was finally freed from the toddler’s finger, visibly stuck in one of the metal’s small holes.

This incident serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of accidents involving young children and the importance of emergency services’ readiness to respond.

The successful resolution of this case underscores the vital role these professionals play in our communities, and some of the more unusual incidents they have to deal with.