A 59-year-old man in Campanhã, on the outskirts of Porto, Portugal, has died in a freak accident after his partner lost her balance and fell on top of him.
According to local reports, the man—described as being of slight build—was lying on the floor beside the bed when his common-law wife, aged 60, stumbled while getting up. The woman, reported to weigh over 100kg, fell onto him and became trapped between the bed and the wall, unable to get up.
Her distressed screams alerted neighbours, who rushed to help. Despite managing to lift her off the man, he was already unconscious by the time firefighters and paramedics arrived. Efforts to revive him after he went into cardiac arrest were unsuccessful.
Investigators have ruled the incident as accidental asphyxia, with no foul play involved. One source familiar with the case said, “It’s obviously a very unusual death, but there was no criminal intent. It was simply a tragic accident caused by a stumble.”
Local media reported that five men were needed to move the woman off her partner due to her position and weight. She is now receiving grief counselling.
The couple, who were not legally married but had lived together for several years, were well known in their neighbourhood.
