6-year-old falls into open manhole in Secunda
“I grabbed him up just in time. He was hanging on by his fingers,” said his mom, Ms Kerry-leigh Ullbricht.
SECUNDA – Little Judah Ullbricht (6) was caught just before his small hands could have slipped and he could have fallen meters down into an open manhole.
“I grabbed him up just in time. He was hanging on by his fingers,” said his mom, Ms Kerry-leigh Ullbricht.
This incident that almost had a devastating outcome, happened in Drakensberg Street, close to Hoërskool Oosterland on Wednesday afternoon, 27 January.
Ms Ullbricht and her kids, Judah, Eden (4) and new-born Erin, along with her sister-in-law Ms Shannon Ullbricht and niece Summer Ullbricht (3) were walking from their home opposite the school towards Redemptive Coffee near the Duck Pond.
“The sidewalk is overgrown but we kept out of the road. Judah was teasing his cousin by walking backwards when he suddenly fell.”
Ms Ullbricht said Judah managed to turn himself around in the process and grabbed hold of the rim.
She was able to snatch him out of the hole before he fell to the bottom of the sewer.
“If it had been one of the smaller ones, they would not have been able to stop their fall,” said Ms Ullbricht.
Several manholes are either uncovered, partly covered or the covers are broken in this street.
There are also a few damaged stormwater drains.
This is just in one street.
The tall grass on the sidewalks and in the open spaces makes these hazards almost invisible.
Ridge Times reported before on the dangers of open manholes. In March 2019, a small dog fell into an open manhole and miraculously survived after being trapped down there for three weeks.
Thieves and vandals are the number one reason for uncovered manholes.
They steal the lids, and even metal meter boxes, to sell as scrap metal.
Ridge Times asked the Govan Mbeki Municipality for comment on Thursday, 28 January, but have not received any response at time of going to press on Monday, 1 February.
