Mapusa fire personnel saved the life of a 58-year-old man who accidentally fell into a 45-foot-deep well in his own compound at Carona, Aldona on Thursday morning.
The man, identified as a local resident, had gone to draw water from the well at around 6 am when he reportedly slipped and plunged into the deep well.
His desperate cries for help woke up family members, who immediately alerted the Mapusa fire station at around 6.37 am.
Within minutes, a rescue team led by the fire personnel arrived at the spot and assessed the perilous situation.
“We tried to lower a ladder, but it didn’t reach the bottom of the well,” said one of the firefighters.
“Time was crucial, so one of our men strapped on a life jacket, tied a rope around his waist, and carefully climbed down into the darkness,” he added.
As the anxious family and neighbours looked on, the firefighter reached the victim, secured him with the rope and both were slowly pulled up to safety. “He’s lucky to be alive. Had the fire team not reached in time, it could have ended differently,” said a neighbour who witnessed the dramatic rescue.
Fire officials later confirmed that the man sustained only minor bruises and was given first aid before being taken for a medical check-up.
