A six-year-old Calgary girl is dead after a television toppled over and fell on her.
The tragedy happened Wednesday evening just before 7 p.m. at a home in Southwood.
The girl was rushed to Rockyview Hospital where she was later pronounced dead.
Police say the family is receiving support from Victim Services .
The situation was also difficult for emergency responders.
“For our EMS crews, sometimes these types of calls are career enders,” says EMS spokesperson, Chelsea Small. “These types of calls with kids never leave us, they stay with us always.”
“My heart goes out to the family,” adds Small.
There will be no criminal investigation.
Injuries from falling television sets have been increasing at an alarming rate in recent years.
A study published in the journal Pediatrics in 2013 found nearly 200,000 children in the U.S. were injured by falling TV sets over a 20 year period.
Most of the injuries were not serious.
Health Canada recommends families take the following precautions:
- Always supervise children in the home and teach them not to climb or hang from furniture.
- Choose storage furniture, such as bookcases, cabinets, television stands and dressers, with a wide and stable base that sits directly on the floor. Models with legs or wheels are more likely to tip over.
- Attach furniture to the wall using angle braces, anchors or safety straps. Secure to a stud if possible.
- Place televisions far back on low stable furniture that is designed to hold the weight and size of the television. Attach the television to the stand if possible.
- Do not place items that may appeal to a child, such as toys, plants and remote controls, on top of a television or tall furniture.
- Keep electric cords behind furniture where children cannot reach them.
Comments