Senior citizen picking malunggay pierced on face by steel fence in QC

A 65-year-old woman was pierced on the face by a steel plantbox fence last Tuesday in Barangay San Agustin, Novaliches in Quezon City. 

According to James Agustin’s report in “24 Oras” on Thursday, rescuers had to use a hydraulic cutter to remove the metal from the fence and even demolish the fence’s concrete foundation. 

The senior was placed on a stretcher along with the portion of the fence and was brought to a hospital. 

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said the rescue operation took nearly 30 minutes. 

“Ang naging challenge lang sa amin ay siyempre nakatusok siya doon sa bakal. So hindi namin pwedeng basta-basta galawin, so nagdahan-dahan lang tayo doon, hanggang sa matanggal natin siya doon sa pagkakatusok,” said QCFD Special Rescue Force team leader SFO2 Richard Andrew Roces.

(The challenge for us was, of course, that she was impaled on the metal. So we had to move her carefully; we had to be very slow and methodical until we could free her from where she was pierced.) 

Fortunately, no vital arteries in the head were affected by the piercing. 

Information received by the BFP stated that the plantbox is owned by the victim’s neighbor. 

“Sabi ng witnesses na nandoon sa paligid, kumukuha siya ng malunggay and then nahilo. Suddenly nadulas doon sa may gilid ng plantbox and then siya natusok sa fence,” said Roces. 

(According to witnesses in the area, she was picking malunggay leaves when she got dizzy. She suddenly slipped near the edge of the plant box and then got impaled on the fence.) 

The victim underwent an operation to remove the metal pierced to her face. She is now recovering.

In such incidents, authorities advised to immediately call for responders and keep the victim steady while waiting for help to come. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/RF, GMA Integrated News