BOY’S ESCAPE

Northern Advocate, 18 April 1933, Page 6

BOY’S ESCAPE

FROM STORMWATER CHANNEL. AMAZING EXPERIENCE. SYDNEY, April 14. A ten-year-old boy had, a wonderful escape from drowning yesterday afte:noion when he was swept along a stormwater channel at Lideombe for more than a quarter of a mile.

The hoy, who could not swim, was carried through a tunnel about 20 yards long, under three bridges, and two roads. Ultimately, he was flung against a stanchion of a bridge carrying the main suburban railway line, and he scrambled up the 20 feet to safety, and then narrowly missed being run down by an electric train. Throughout his amazing experience he displayed surprising presence of mind. Accompanied by another boy, Alfred Burns, of Bridge Street, Lidcombe, went down to the stormwater channel near his home, that empties into the Parramatta River. Swollen by the heavy rain, the channel was about six feet deep of swirling stormwater that coursed down towards the river at the rate of about \ 1(5 miles an hour. The boys.sat on the edge of the stream and dangled their feet in the water. Suddenly Burns lost * his balance and toppled into the turgid channel. He ■shouted, for aid, but was rapidly swept away. The small dog that is the boys’ inseparable companion, ran barking along the side of the channel,, and once, - when the child was carried against the wall, the dog made excited efforts to grasp the boy’s hand.

Burns cannot swim. .The force of the' current, however, kept his head above the racing water. At one stage he was carried into a tunnel about 20 yards.long under water and hurled into the broader stream the other side. He was carried beneath two roadways, and desperate efforts to grasp the sides of the walls as he was swept by. Oh each occasion the,terrific force of the water wrenched him free, and the surging brown torrent carried him down to the main suburban railway bridge that spans the channel. He struck a stanchion in the middle of the stream, and managed to retain his hold. .Slowly he dragged himself up out of the water and then clambered up to the rails some 20 feet above. He jumped off the bridge a few moments before a speeding electric train dashed over the structure. Then he walked back to his homo, and commenced his evening meal.

In the meantime his companion had rushed screaming for assistance. The Lidcombe police were called, and a call for volunteers was made to search for the body of the boy. It was feared that' he had been drowned. Within a few minutes between 150 and 200 men were searching the stormwater channel for tho boy and the banks of the creek into which the channel empties,' were searched down to the Parramatta River. The police were about to abandon the search when word was received that the boy was at that moment unconcernedly having his tea.