Seven-year-old trapped in wooden platform in parents' garden

Elaborate rescue operation

According to the emergency services, the rescue proved elaborate. To free the child from her predicament, the responders used appropriate tools to cut a larger wooden disc out of the platform. Only after this multi-hour recovery operation could the girl be freed from the cable drum.

After being freed, the seven-year-old was taken to a hospital by helicopter. The authorities initially provided no information on her state of health or the nature of her injuries.

According to information available so far, the wooden platform was made from an old cable drum in which hoses and cables had been laid in the ground. In the family's garden, it served as a lying surface for the dog.

Background: Cable drum as dog platform

The incident occurred on Wednesday in the municipality of Schneegattern in the district of Braunau am Inn in Upper Austria. The exact circumstances that led to the hole in the wooden surface initially remained unclear.

After the operation, the fire department pointed out the dangers that older wooden constructions in private gardens can pose. Rotten spots or broken-out holes in such platforms represented a significant risk of injury for children, the emergency services explained on site.

Warning about rotten wooden constructions

According to the operations command, the family received psychological support. Specialists from the Red Cross took care of both the girl and the mother, who found the incident extremely distressing.

The police opened an investigation into the exact cause of the accident. In particular, they will examine whether the wooden platform met the applicable safety requirements at the time of the incident and whether any changes had been made to the structure.

The case attracted attention in the Innviertel region. Residents reported that similar wooden platforms made from old cable drums could be found in several gardens in the area. The municipality of Lengau announced that it would distribute information on the safe use of such constructions to families.