A 58-year-old man of Urban township in Solwezi district has died after rescuing his three-year-old grandson who had fallen into a soakaway that collapsed following continuous heavy rains.
The incident occurred yesterday around 14:00 hours at the family residence.
North-Western Province Police Commissioner Brighton Siwale confirmed the incident.
Mr Siwale said Police received a report at about 16:30 hours from a 28-year-old woman of the same area, who reported that her father died shortly after saving his grandson from the soakaway.
He explained that the child accidentally fell into a soakaway within the yard after the structure collapsed due to heavy rains that have been pounding the area.
“In an effort to save the child, the deceased got into the soakaway and successfully rescued his grandson, who was found to be stable and unharmed,” Mr Siwale said.
However, tragedy struck moments later when the man failed to get out of the approximately two-metre-deep soakaway, which was filled with rainy water.
Mr Siwale said the deceased’s wife, with the help of neighbours, attempted to rescue him by using a wooden ladder.
“They managed to pull him out and immediately rushed him to Urban Clinic, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival,” he said.
CREDIT: AMOS KAWISHA/DAILY MAIL