A 12-year-old girl trapped in washing machine Photo: Screenshot from media report

A 12-year-old girl,mk after arguing with her mother over homework, climbed into a washing machine to cool off but accidentally became trapped and unable to get out. Local firefighters successfully freed her following a 16-minute rescue operation.

At around 10:45 am on March 30, the girl in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province and her mother had an argument over homework. In a fit of anger, the girl climbed into a washing machine to calm down but accidentally became trapped and unable to free herself, CCTV news reported. 

After attempting multiple rescue methods without success, the mother called emergency services.

Upon arrival, local firefighters assessed the scene and found that the washing machine’s location was too narrow to move it to a more spacious area for handling. They had to conduct the rescue operation within the cramped balcony space, the report said.

 

The girl was curled up in a seated position inside the washing machine drum, completely immobilized. Due to the extremely confined space within the machine, forceful pulling risked injuring her. The firefighters immediately devised a rescue plan, reported CCTV news.

 

They first covered the girl’s upper body with a blanket for protection, then used a screwdriver to remove the outer casing of the washing machine’s control panel. The firefighters employed hydraulic cutters to shear the machine’s exterior.

 

During the process, as the girl had been trapped for some time and appeared slightly anxious, the firefighters carefully carried out the dismantling while comforting her.

 

After more than 10 minutes of cutting, the firefighters removed the washing machine’s shell, expanded the rescue space, and removed the drum’s plastic ring. They then safely lifted the girl out. 

 

Global Times - CCTV News