An 82-year-old woman was safely rescued after falling into a deep utility shaft at her home in Polgár, thanks to the swift actions of a vigilant neighbor and responding police officers.
The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon when the elderly resident became trapped in a several-meter-deep shaft on her property. Unable to get out on her own, she called for help, and her cries were heard by a nearby neighbor.
Realizing that something was wrong, the neighbor climbed into the adjoining yard to investigate and quickly alerted the police.
Patrol officers arrived within minutes and immediately entered the property to assist. While assessing the situation, they discovered a ladder in the yard and improvised a rescue plan. The ladder was lowered into the narrow shaft, providing the trapped woman with a way to climb toward the surface.
Because of the confined space, the officers were unable to descend into the shaft themselves. However, the woman’s relatively good physical condition allowed her to begin climbing up the ladder.
As one officer stabilized the ladder, another positioned himself at the opening of the shaft to help. When the woman had climbed part of the way out, the officer reached down, grabbed her securely, and pulled her to safety.
Fortunately, the 82-year-old suffered only minor injuries despite the potentially dangerous fall.
Police praised both the alert neighbor who heard the woman’s calls for help and the officers whose quick decision-making helped prevent a more serious outcome.
The successful rescue highlights how fast action by members of the community and emergency responders can make a critical difference in life-threatening situations.
