An elderly man in Guangyuan, Sichuan died while saving his grandson who fell into a well. Officials said that they will be dealt with according to the law based on the investigation results.

On the evening of October 22, the Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau of the Lizhou District in Guangyuan, Sichuan Province, released a statement regarding a tragic incident that occurred at the Tianfu Mingdi residential complex in Xuefeng Street.

According to the report, on October 21 at approximately 5:50 PM, a 5-year-old boy named Zhang accidentally fell into a septic tank in the community’s greenbelt area. His 71-year-old grandfather, also named Zhang, immediately jumped in to rescue him and called for help. Unfortunately, due to exhaustion, the grandfather also fell into the tank. Residents and security personnel in the area attempted to assist and called emergency services at both 119 and 110. They managed to rescue the young boy around 5:55 PM, and he was found to have stable vital signs. Fire rescue teams arrived on the scene at 5:57 PM and initiated their rescue efforts, ultimately extracting the grandfather by about 7:18 PM, but he was unfortunately pronounced dead.

Currently, authorities are investigating the incident and have stated that they will take appropriate legal action based on the findings. The bureau plans to collaborate with relevant departments to instruct the development company and property management of the residential complex to conduct a thorough inspection and remediation of safety hazards in the area to protect the rights and safety of residents.

On the night of October 21, social media users shared videos claiming that the accident happened when a child playing in the complex accidentally stepped on a broken manhole cover, leading to his fall into the septic tank. The grandfather’s quick response to help, lifting the child over his head with assistance from bystanders, was commendable; however, the elderly man succumbed to physical exhaustion and tragically fell in himself. Residents noted that the manhole cover had been poorly secured with a wooden plank following construction work, which had deteriorated over time, contributing to the accident.

The rescued boy is currently receiving medical treatment at a hospital, while related authorities continue their investigation into the incident.