Team Herald
MARGAO: Putting the fire services personnel to shame, youngsters from neighbouring Macazana village, Ravi and Dipu rescued Caitano Colaco, who had fallen in a deep well at Guirdolim.
Colaco is undergoing treatment at Hospicio hospital, Margao.
The youth was missing from the house for the last five days and since he sometimes went out for two or three days, the family members waited for him to return. However, as he did not return on Monday they lodged a missing report with the police, who advised to keep looking out for him.
On Tuesday morning as the family members went looking out for him, at around 9 am found him standing in a deep well that had waist-high water and subsequently police and fire services were informed.
Ironically, the fire services did not have a ladder that could be lowered in the well nor did they have a harness to tie to his chest so that he could be pulled up. In fact, the ill-equipped firemen kept asking locals to get ropes.
However, two youngsters from Macazana arrived on the scene with harness and lowered themselves into the well and rescued Caitano.
Villagers were angry at the attitude and preparedness of the fire department.
“What is the purpose of having fire and emergency services if they cannot go to the site with the necessary equipment including a harness,” asked Guirdolim Deputy Sarpanch Franky Rodrigues.
Caitano, who works as a peon for the panchayat, does not remember how he fell in the well and it is presumed that he must have fallen in while sleeping on the wall around the well.
