A three-year-old boy’s excitement at seeing the security forces’ assets during a Merdeka celebration turned into a frightening ordeal after his left leg was run over by a vehicle towing a fireboat outside Wisma Persekutuan here on Monday.
The incident happened at around 9.45am when the four-wheel-drive vehicle towing the boat began moving slowly. The boy, Che Ku Muhammad Khairul Amir Che Ku Mohd Khairul Azlan, reportedly fell to the ground, leaving his left leg in the path of one of the vehicle’s tyres.
His mother, Puteri Anis Athirah Wan Rosli, 36, from Chendering, said she had brought her three children to the celebration after her son had been excited since leaving home to see the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department’s (JBPM) assets.
She said the vehicle had stopped several times in front of Wisma Persekutuan, prompting her seven-year-old daughter, Che Ku Nur Amirah, to run forward to take photographs, with her younger brother following behind.
“When firefighters tried to signal to him and move him slightly to the side for safety before the vehicle moved, my son suddenly fell forward and ended up with his leg underneath the tyre as it began moving.
“Everything happened within seconds. I immediately picked him up. Thankfully, he did not suffer any internal injuries, did not vomit and there were no injuries to his bones,” she said when met at the Emergency Department of Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah (HSNZ) here on Monday.
Puteri Anis Athirah said she personally witnessed the frightening incident and described it as something that happened in the blink of an eye.
She also expressed her appreciation to police officers at the scene for helping to control the situation and escorting the ambulance to the hospital at around 10.15am.
An X-ray later showed that the boy had not suffered any fractures. However, a paediatric specialist continued monitoring him to assess his condition.
Despite the incident, Puteri Anis Athirah stressed that she did not blame the firefighters or any of the security personnel involved.
“I do not blame the firefighters or any of the security forces. They were carrying out their duties to control safety and the movement of the assets.
“This happened unintentionally because my son was simply excited to see his favourite team,” she said.
