Heroic Ethiopian nanny shields boy, 7, in deep Fujairah well — refuses to let go despite broken leg

Fujairah: A 25-year-old Ethiopian domestic worker held on to a seven-year-old boy and refused to let go despite suffering a fractured leg after both fell into a well when its cover collapsed behind a house in the Merashid area of Fujairah.

The worker protected the child inside the well, supporting herself against a metal structure to prevent them from falling deeper, until police, civil defence and national ambulance teams arrived at the scene.

According to family members, she ensured the child was rescued first before emergency crews brought her to safety.

The child was discharged from hospital the following day after doctors confirmed he was in good health.

The domestic worker, who was not named, remains under treatment at Fujairah Hospital for a fracture in one of her legs.

Fujairah Civil Defence Deputy Director Colonel Khalid Rabie Al Hammoudi visited the child’s family at their home following the incident to check on his condition and congratulate them on his safe recovery.

He also visited the domestic worker at Fujairah hospital and wished both her and the child continued good health and a speedy recovery.

Al Hammoudi reaffirmed the civil defence department’s commitment to supporting humanitarian cases and standing by members of the community.

A relative of the child told Gulf News that the accident occurred at around 3.30pm on Saturday (Oct. 3, 2026) while the boy was visiting his maternal family’s home with his mother.

The child, she said, suffers from hyperactivity, prompting the family to assign two domestic workers to supervise him, monitor his movements and keep him away from potential dangers.

One of the workers had only recently joined the household and was unaware that a well was located behind the house.

The well had been covered with boards and stone slabs placed on top to secure it.

The relative said the child suddenly ran towards the area behind the house and the newly employed worker followed him to keep an eye on him, while the second worker was on her lunch break.

“The child and the worker reached the area of the well and stood on the cover without realising there was a well beneath them,” the relative said.

“The cover collapsed because it could not support their combined weight, causing both of them to fall inside.”

The worker immediately began shouting for help from inside the well.

Her cries were heard by the second worker, who had been asleep at the time. She woke up, rushed to the scene and immediately contacted police and emergency services.

Despite her injuries, the trapped worker continued holding the child while waiting for rescuers to arrive.

She used a metal structure inside the well to support herself and prevent both of them from slipping further down.

"She refused to leave the child or let go of him despite the difficulty of the situation and her injuries,” the relative said.

When police, civil defence and national ambulance teams reached the site, the worker handed the child to rescuers first before emergency personnel extracted her from the well.

Both were transported to hospital for treatment.

Following the incident, the family implemented additional safety measures around the well.

A secure metal cover was installed over the opening, along with a metal gate and protective barrier to prevent access to the site and ensure no one approaches it in future.

Fujairah Civil Defence urged homeowners, farm owners and landowners to ensure wells are properly secured and tightly covered.

The authority also called for barriers and clearly visible warning signs to be installed around wells and warned against leaving them exposed or without adequate protection.

Officials said unsecured wells pose a serious danger to both children and adults and that a moment of inattention can quickly turn into an accident that threatens lives.

Civil Defence stressed that community safety is a shared responsibility and that simple preventive measures can help prevent accidents and save lives.