A Diwali celebration nearly turned into a tragedy for a 16-year-old boy who plunged nearly 70 to 80 feet from an under-construction flyover near Karnala Sports in Panvel on Tuesday night. In a challenging rescue operation, firefighters from the Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) trekked nearly 1.5 km through difficult terrain before managing to pull the teenager to safety using ropes and a body harness. Officials said the boy was rescued without any serious injuries.

1.5-km trek

Recognising the challenges involved, the team called for additional manpower and rescue equipment. Two firefighters then undertook a nearly 1.5-km trek on foot to reach the spot where the teenager had fallen. The rescue team used three ropes, a body harness, helmets, and three torches to carry out the operation. Working in difficult conditions, the firefighters carefully secured the teenager and pulled him up to the flyover.