A woman was pulled to safety in Bonteheuwel after crawling through a drainage system following a fall, in a rescue that highlighted both the dangers of unsecured infrastructure and the speed of community response.
A coordinated rescue effort unfolded in Bonteheuwel on Wednesday evening after a woman fell into a drainage system near a construction site in Epping and became trapped underground.
According to Bonteheuwel ward councillor Angus McKenzie, the incident occurred on property believed to belong to the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa along Bofors Circle. The area had already been cordoned off due to ongoing construction, but the woman managed to gain access by moving underneath the barrier and entering the drainage system.
After the fall, she sustained an injury to her ankle, which limited her mobility. Despite this, she began navigating through the underground sewage pipes, moving through the confined and hazardous space in search of an exit.
Her movement through the system eventually led her to an opening in Bonteheuwel, where residents in Assegaai and Amandel streets heard her cries for help. What initially caused confusion quickly turned into a focused response, as community members worked to locate her position and alert emergency services.
The City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Services confirmed that the emergency call was received at approximately 7:30pm. Spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said crews from Epping were dispatched and redirected to the railway line near Bofors Circle.
“The woman fell into the drain and sustained a suspected fractured ankle. She then proceeded to crawl towards the light coming from another drain,” Carelse explained.
Upon arrival, emergency teams assessed the situation and found the woman trapped at a depth of between two and two and a half metres. Due to the hazardous atmosphere inside the drain, firefighters were required to wear self-contained breathing apparatus before attempting the rescue.
A pulley system was constructed on site, with a ladder lowered into the drain to reach the victim. Using a sling, firefighters carefully hoisted her to the surface in a controlled operation.
By approximately 8:15pm, the woman had been successfully extricated and was loaded into a Metro ambulance before being transported to Tygerberg Hospital for further treatment. The extent of her injuries beyond the suspected fracture has not been confirmed.
McKenzie praised both the emergency responders and the community, noting that the incident could have had a far more serious outcome without the quick reaction of residents and the coordinated response from rescue teams.
Source: IOL – Robin-Lee Francke
