A Filipina firefighter from Tarlac helped rescue a two-year-old boy who fell onto train tracks in Japan, in an incident that drew praise for quick action and teamwork during a life-threatening emergency.

Fire Insp. Vijoan Yumul of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Region 2 said she and fellow delegates had just finished an event of the International Fire Chief’s Association of Asia in Nagoya and were riding a train to Kyoto on May 29, 2026 when the incident happened.

Yumul said they heard a woman shouting for help at a station. They found out later that a child had fallen onto the railway area.

“Nung pababa na kami from Nagoya to Kyoto, ang haba po kasi ng bullet train and then ang bilis din nito, ang average is 325 km per hour so talagang mabilis po siya. Thank God nasa same car kami nung mother and ‘yung bata so nasa likod ko sila dahil marami kaming luggage. Paglabas namin ng mga kasama ko, may narinig na kaming sumisigaw na nanay. Akala namin cellphone lang o bag ang nalaglag, pero nang sumilip kami, bata po pala, nakahiga sa riles,” she said.

She said they immediately asked train station security for help while trying to act quickly as the train was still moving.

Yumul said she reached down toward the child carefully while a Japanese man helped hold the child’s other hand to prevent further harm.

“Ang tinawag po ng mga kasama ko, tumawag sila ng security para ma-stop ang train. That time, humiga na ako, kinuha ko ang bata. Three to four feet ang lalim ng railway, kaya hindi na ako nagdalawang-isip. ‘Yung dalawa umiiyak na, tapos ‘yung bata nakataas ang kamay humihingi ng tulong,” she said.

The child and his mother continued to cry after the rescue, Yumul said, adding, that the mother was shaken visibly by the incident.

Despite the fear, the child was pulled safely from the tracks.

Yumul and her group were in Japan for activities under the international fire chiefs’ association. She is based in Tarlac City and assigned to the BFP Region 2 office.

The rescue has drawn praise online and among colleagues, highlighting quick response and cooperation between Filipino and foreign responders in preventing a possible tragedy.