Surat: A late-night family gathering in Rander turned into an anxious ordeal early Tuesday when a two-year-old boy got his head stuck in a metal cauldron while playing with utensils in the kitchen of Rabbani Tower.The incident occurred around 1.30am, when the child, whose family members were awake preparing for an upcoming wedding function, wandered into the kitchen and accidentally put his head inside a large metal cauldron. He was unable to pull it out.Family members tried to remove the utensil but failed. A relative said repeated attempts may have caused the child’s head to swell, making it more difficult to free him. The family then took the boy to a hospital for help.Hospital staff also tried to remove the cauldron and kept the child under observation for nearly three hours but were unable to free him. One of the family members then approached the Surat Fire and Emergency Services (SFES) headquarters near the SME head office for help.The fire service responded promptly, sending two teams to the spot. “Within five minutes of being called, two fire teams arrived, and it took them only a few minutes to remove the cauldron. They came equipped with tools and are experts in their work,” said Aakib Punawala, a relative.SFES officials said they received the call around 5.10am and immediately dispatched a team. Fire officer Sampat Suthar said the operation required carefully cutting the metal utensil to avoid injuring the child.“It took us around 20 minutes to free the boy. We cut the utensil with a cutter and rescued him without any injury,” Suthar said.Punawala praised the firefighters for their careful handling of the child during the rescue. “The SFES team handled the boy as if he were their own child. One of the fire personnel placed his hand against the edge of the cauldron to ensure the cutter did not touch the boy,” he said.The family members later regretted not contacting the fire service earlier, saying the child could have been freed sooner had they sought specialised help immediately.
