KUALA TERENGGANU: A three-year-old boy’s wish to watch a display of security force assets during the National Day celebration turned into a frightening ordeal when his left foot was run over by the tyre of a vehicle towing a Fire and Rescue Department boat in front of Wisma Persekutuan here on Monday (Aug 31), Sinar Harian reports.
In the 9.45am incident, the boy injured his left foot after falling as the four-wheel-drive vehicle towing the boat began moving slowly, the Malay language daily reported.
The boy's mother, a 36-year-old from Chendering, said she had attended the celebration with her three children as they had been excited from home to see Fire and Rescue Department assets.
“When the vehicle towing the boat stopped several times in front of Wisma Persekutuan, my seven-year-old daughter ran forward to take photographs. My son followed her.
“When a fireman tried to signal to him and gently move him aside for safety before the vehicle moved, my son suddenly fell face down accidentally, causing his foot to end up beneath the tyre as it began moving,” she said when met at the Emergency Department of Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital here on Monday.
Recalling the anxious moments, she said she witnessed the incident unfold in a matter of seconds.
“Everything happened so quickly. I immediately picked him up. Thank God, he did not suffer any internal injuries, did not vomit and did not sustain any bone injuries,” she said.
She also expressed appreciation for the police officers at the scene, who helped manage the situation and escorted the ambulance transporting her son to hospital at about 10.15am.
“X-rays found no broken bones, but paediatric specialists are still monitoring my son to ensure he is well.
“I do not blame the firemen or any of the security forces. They were managing the safety and movement of the assets. The incident was unintentional, caused by my child’s excitement at seeing his favourite team,” she said.
