An 18-year-old girl, Majiah Washington, has rescued a nine-month-old baby boy from electrocution in the United States of America.
The parents of the baby had earlier been electrocuted by a power line during an ice storm in Oregon part of the US on Wednesday.
The storm has caused no fewer than 10 deaths in Oregon. This led to a declaration of state of emergency.
Narrating the incident, Washington said was inside her apartment and ran out to check on the baby after seeing his parents both shocked by the power line, BBC reports on Saturday (today).
She pulled the boy to safety after his parents and uncle were all killed having slipped and touched the wire.
Washington added she observed a flash outside her Portland residence amid the storm.
Looking through her window, she noticed a fallen power line atop an SUV.
The father of the boy inside the car then attempted to carry the baby up the slippery driveway but he slipped on ice, and his foot came into contact with the downed power line.
The mother of the baby, Tajaliayh Briggs, in an attempt to rescue the boy also slipped and was electrocuted by the power line.
Upon hearing the disturbance, the 15-year-old brother of the mother, Ta’Ron Briggs, rushed outside to offer assistance and also came into contact with the wire due to the icy conditions.
Washington, in her explanation, said she was on the phone with an emergency dispatch operator and acted out of instinct when she saw the child move, going to rescue him despite what she had just witnessed.
She said, “I just thought, I have a nephew myself, I have little brothers, I would want somebody to do the same thing, I would hope somebody would do the same thing,” she told reporters at a news conference.
“I crouched down, I like kind of slid, I used my hands to break my fall, and I didn’t land on top of his father but my hands landed on top of him and I just grabbed the baby,” said Ms Washington. “I pulled him up, I was swaddling him and I walked him up the hill.”
Meanwhile, the Portland Fire and Rescue commended Washington for coming through for the baby.
The spokesperson for the Portland Fire and Rescue, Rick Graves, described Washington’s role as “heroic”.
“We do have fortunately with us a [child] that is going to be able to thrive and do what they possibly can as they move forward.
“And they are here, in part, because of the heroic acts of a member of our community,” he said.
The Portland Fire and Rescue in a statement added, “the individuals affected were occupants of the SUV and exited the vehicle following the branch bringing the live power line down upon their vehicle.
“When the feet of the individuals touched the ground, and their bodies were touching the car they became part of the active electrical circuit which resulted in their deaths.”
The baby, however, is said to be recuperating after being examined at the hospital.
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