By Emmanuel Daniji

A desperate attempt to save a two-year-old child from a well in Abule Egba, Lagos, has ended in tragedy, with both the man who tried to help and the toddler feared dead.

The heartbreaking incident occurred on Paul Street, inward Agbe Road, after the child reportedly fell into a domestic well within a residential compound.

According to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the toddler’s mother worked as a cleaner in the compound where the incident happened.

When the child fell into the well, a male resident reportedly climbed down in an attempt to rescue the toddler. However, the man became trapped and could not make his way back to the surface.

LASEMA said it received a distress call at about 9:48 a.m. on Tuesday and immediately dispatched its response team from the Igando Base.

By the time emergency responders arrived, the man had been found dead. His remains were recovered and handed over to his relatives and members of the Hausa community for burial in accordance with their customs.

But the rescue operation did not end there. The toddler remained inside the well, leaving emergency workers with the difficult task of trying to recover the child.

The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps and the police joined the operation.

Rescuers reportedly struggled with the large volume of water and thick mud inside the well. Efforts to drain the water and continue the search did not produce the desired result.

A specialist local diver was later brought in to conduct a final search. However, the diver reportedly found that the toddler had sunk deep into the mud, making recovery difficult. Only one of the child’s shoes was recovered.

After consultations with the family and community leaders, the operation was eventually called off, according to the report.

LASEMA expressed condolences to the family of the deceased man and the wider Hausa community, describing his attempt to save the toddler as an act of bravery.

The tragedy has also raised fresh concerns about the dangers posed by uncovered or poorly secured wells in residential neighbourhoods.

A well within a family compound can become a deadly hazard when children are left exposed to it, particularly in places where young ones play or move around freely.

LASEMA has urged residents to ensure that wells and other dangerous openings around their homes are properly covered and secured.

The agency also advised people to contact emergency services through 767 or 112 during emergencies instead of attempting dangerous rescues without the necessary training and equipment.

The incident is a painful reminder of how quickly an ordinary day can turn into a family tragedy and why safety measures around homes must never be taken for granted.