3-year-old boy unharmed after falling from third floor window in Surrey

A three-year-old boy is miraculously unharmed after falling from the third storey window of a Surrey townhouse.

The incident occurred on Sunday, October 16, at a home on 62nd A ave near 152 st.

RCMP Staff Sgt. Blair McCaul says the boy was at home with one of his parents when he pushed on a window screen and fell out of the window.

He says the incident appears to be an accident, and by a stroke of good fortune, the child landed on a second floor balcony.

“Fortunately no injuries, just a pure accident. They’re still doing tests just as a precaution, but they’ve not found any injuries, so it’s all good,” said McCaul.

He was rushed to a nearby hospital as a precaution, but McCaul says he appears to have suffered no major injuries.

“It could have been a lot worse, for sure,” he added.

The townhouse complex in Surrey where a three year old fell from a third storey window (Credit: Shane MacKichan)

Deadly hazard

It’s just the latest incident of a toddler falling from a Lower Mainland window.

Back in June, a similar incident turned tragic when a four-year-old boy fell from a third-storey townhouse window in Langley.

Last year, health officials issued a special warning after six kids fell from windows in a stretch of six days.

BC Emergency Health Services says paramedics are called to about 15 calls a year involving children falling from balconies or windows.

Tips from BCAS on window safety for children

• Don’t underestimate a child’s mobility; children begin climbing before they can walk.
  Move household items away from windows to discourage children from climbing to peer out. Toddlers may use anything as a step stool to get higher.
• Be aware that window screens will not prevent children from falling through – they keep bugs out, not children in.
• Install window guards on windows above the ground level. These act as a gate in front of the window.
• Or, fasten the windows, so that they cannot open more than 10 centimetres (four inches). Children can fit through spaces as small as 12 centimetres (five inches) wide. In either case, ensure there is a safe release option in case of a house fire.
• Don’t leave children unattended on balconies or decks. Move furniture or planters away from the edges as kids can climb up and over.
• Talk to your children about the dangers of opening and playing near windows, particularly on upper floors of the home.

Originally posted on CKNW.com.