- A three-year-old girl squeezed through security bars on a 12th-floor window in Zhangping, Fujian, China, while home alone
- Neighbours from a lower floor held a stool beneath the child to support her weight as she clung to the bars outside the building
- Firefighters eventually broke into the apartment to rescue the toddler, who was found unharmed
Source: Getty Images
A three-year-old girl found herself dangling from a 12th-floor window in Zhangping, Fujian, China, after squeezing through the security bars of her apartment on 17 October 2026. She was home alone at the time.
The child had managed to push her small body through the metal bars on the outside of the window. The only thing preventing her from falling was that her head was too large to fit through the gap, leaving her suspended high above the street below.
Neighbours who spotted her from lower floors immediately sprang into action. An officer and several men took turns holding a stool out of their windows and beneath the girl so she could rest some of her weight on it while they waited for help. The effort required constant coordination, with the group rotating to keep her supported across what must have felt like an agonising wait.
Firefighters eventually arrived and broke into the locked apartment from inside, pulling the child to safety through the barred window. She was unharmed.
The video, shared by @scmpnews on Instagram, quickly spread across social media and sparked a broader conversation about child supervision.
In South Africa, child welfare guidelines advise that infants and toddlers aged zero to three should never be left unattended, even briefly. While South African law does not set a fixed minimum age for leaving a child alone, Section 28 of the Constitution places a legal duty on parents and guardians to protect children from neglect and danger. Doing otherwise can result in criminal prosecution or intervention by social services.
Watch the dramatic rescue unfold in the video shared by @scmpnews Instagram.
Strangers Praised for Quick Thinking
People across the world responded to the video with a mix of relief, disbelief, and gratitude for those who acted fast:
@mrstputri wrote:
"Bless you all the Heroes 🥹👏"
@kevin.mwanja_ said:
"Glory be to God that the little soul was saved, and blessings to everyone who helped in that hardest period and situation."
@brows_by_arizo shared:
"Big thanks to those heroes who rescued her 😢🙌"
@kjleeofficial noted:
"Can't leave a 3 year old. EVER!"
@kismitten commented:
"To be fair, one may think the toddler would be totally safe with those bars... I hope all are ok, including the mum. And thank goodness for the efforts and agility of these good people 😍"
@myselfmythings reflected:
"I will not judge, but children are unpredictable and just one second, even if you are at home or in front of them... 🙄 I have 3 and one of them was an expert, making me have a heart attack 😂"
Source: Getty Images
More on South African news
- Briefly News recently reported on Alicia Skincare Solution CEO Alicia Shonisani Raungedzan, who was allegedly attacked by three gunmen at a Midrand off-ramp.
- A 17-year-old matric pupil from KwaMsane was caught in rip currents at Jabula Beach in St Lucia, and teams are still searching for him.
- Durban security guard Goodson Mseleshe was honoured by his employer after using his last R100 to buy petrol for a stranded mother and her two children.
Source: Briefly News
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