New York – A 10-year-old boy fell into an open manhole in a busy intersection of a city street earlier today. Various reports show that the manhole cover had broken but it was unclear as to when or how that occurred. The young boy fell into a hole while crossing the street but apparently slowed down his speed as he grabbed onto the walls and a ladder. Some telephone company workers nearby rushed to the accident scene and helped rescue the injured boy with their ladder. Some reports explain that the open hole had already been reported but the cover had not yet been repaired or replaced. The injured victim was taken to the hospital emergency room for treatment of his injuries. New Yorkers have expressed concern over what they describe as negligence by utility companies and the city in maintaining safe streets and sidewalks. They explain that manholes, sidewalk grates and construction sites are left broken or in disrepair on an alarmingly regular basis. Potholes, cracks and protruding tree roots are other dangers that pedestrians encounter on a daily basis. Others warn that businesses and even private homeowners sometimes ignore their responsibility to keep their property safe and free of trip hazards. They describe how store workers often leave metal doors that lead down to storerooms below the sidewalk wide open for extended periods of time. Sometimes the workers will place a chair or even a traffic cone nearby but rarely will the dangerous hole be properly secured, according to reports. Neglect of this sort puts the public at risk, according to accident prevention specialists. This is especially true during the snow, ice and rain during the winter months. Constant vigilance, forethought and repairs are necessary to prevent injury from these types of fall accidents and dangerous conditions. See this article for more about this morning’s fall victim.

Photo by Infrogmation of New Orleans [GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons