Trapped teenager dies in flooding
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/o...re/7435000.stm
Quote:
Originally Posted by BBC News
A 17-year-old boy has died after being trapped in flood water in Oxfordshire.
Emergency crews were called to Eastfield Road, Witney, on Tuesday evening after two boys became trapped in a culvert during flash flooding.
Firefighters had been up to their necks in water during the rescue bid and said the death was "absolutely tragic".
The second boy is in the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford. Nearly a month's rainfall hit Oxfordshire on Tuesday and many areas were flooded. Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, told the BBC the boy was trapped by a metal grate at the entrance to the drain and was submerged for about 20 minutes. Peter Cleary, from the service, said: "A culvert is like a concrete tunnel, which has some bars to stop weeds and debris from going any further, and it looks as if he was restricted at that point [by the bars].
"Our fire crews from Witney were in up to their necks in water.
"We wear buoyancy aids and jackets and we were doing all we could to try and save this lad."
He said crews attempted to resuscitate the teenager but he was later pronounced dead at hospital.
"Unfortunately, this is just a real tragic event."
Eastfield Road flanks a field, which is crossed by a drain that regularly floods and then attracts local children who like to play in the waters.
Derek Gould, a 64-year-old painter and decorator, saw events unfold from his house, which borders the field where the tragedy took place.
He said: "There was a group of lads over in the copse having a laugh in the flood waters. There had been a lot of children in the area all day.
"They were jumping in and playing around. Then we heard someone out of the back window yelling for help.
"One fire engine came and they got one boy out but they could not get the other one out.
"More engines came and later I saw the second boy come over on a stretcher. They were trying to resuscitate him.
"I used to play over there myself as a youngster. I could hear those kids having a laugh - now one of them has paid with his life."
Sue Williams, who also lives nearby, said: "I heard sirens, there was ambulance, police and fire engines and they all went rushing over to the field.
"They brought one lad out. He was okay, though cold and wet, but about half an hour later they brought a stretcher out and they were performing CPR."
Thames Valley Police said the boy was one of a group of youths who had gathered in a field near Eastfield Road during Tuesday evening's flash flooding.
The teenage boy "found himself in difficulty in a flooded area and got trapped in a concrete culvert and drowned", police spokesman said.
He said details of the death would be passed to the coroner.
Conservative leader David Cameron, who is MP for Witney, said: "I was shocked and saddened to hear of the death of this 17-year-old boy.
"My thoughts are with his family and friends at this sad time."
Richard Langridge, councillor for Witney North, said: "It's incredibly tragic. Unfortunately this is something which has been perhaps likely to happen so I am just incredibly sorry it has.
"I desperately hope we can do something to stop it happening again.
"I've been working with David Cameron and the local district council to try to get the Environment Agency to fund a scheme of balancing ponds above Eastfield Road to hold the water back. "I will be putting more pressure on them to try to get the work started - it's long overdue."
RIP.
