A terrible tragedy occurred this Sunday, May 31 in Lorient, in Morbihan. A 10-year-old child died after falling from the fifth floor of a building located on rue Gabriel-Fauré, in the Bois du Château district. The window was open to ventilate the home in this hot weather.
A fatal fall
According to information communicated by the Lorient public prosecutor’s office, an investigation into the causes of death has been opened.
“The first investigations do not allow, for the moment, to consider the intervention of a third party”, said public prosecutor Laëtitia Mirande. An autopsy must be carried out in the coming days.
Five fire engines as well as a Samu team intervened on the spot to try to take care of the child. The family must be supported by the France Victimes association.
Accidents that often happen when windows are left open
With the intense heat and early heatwave episodes, windows remain wide open in many homes to try to cool the rooms. But this summer habit can turn an apartment into a death trap for children.
Every year, prevention campaigns focus mainly on drowning. However, accidental falls from a window or balcony also cause many tragedies, often in just a few seconds.
According to Public Health France, these accidents mainly occur in spring and summer, when homes are more ventilated, and concern children under 6 years old. In 82% of cases, an adult was present in the home at the time of the fall.
The study also shows that in almost one accident in two, a piece of furniture was under the window, allowing the child to climb in more easily.
Even at 10 years old, a child remains vulnerable. Curiosity, a game, an object to collect, a desire to look outside or a simple moment of inattention can be enough. Contrary to popular belief, the danger does not only concern toddlers.
“A child can tip over in seconds“
Emergency doctors regularly point out that a fall can happen extremely quickly.
“A child can climb, bend, tilt, all in a few seconds,” alerts Dr. Gérald Kierzek.
The heat also encourages certain risky behaviors: children who sit near windows to seek some air, windows open all day, fatigue linked to the heatwave which sometimes reduces the vigilance of adults.
© Public Health France
Essential actions to avoid a tragedy
However, everyday actions exist to prevent falls.
Never leave a child alone with an open window
Even a few minutes are enough for an accident to occur. A phone call, a shower, a passage into another room can be fatal.
Move all furniture away from windows
Beds, chairs, sofas, toy boxes or desks make it easy for children to climb. “It only takes one object in the wrong place to transform a room into a risk zone.
recalls Dr. Gérald Kierzek.
Install security systems
Simple devices exist: lockable handles, window blockers, apertures or opening limiters. They never replace surveillance, but provide valuable additional protection.
Be extra vigilant with balconies
A balcony should never be considered a completely secure space. A chair or stool can allow a child to climb a guardrail. “Too many parents think that a balcony is secure, but a table or stool can be enough to enable climbing”warns the expert.
Talking to children about danger, even older ones
From the moment they understand the instructions, children must be clearly made aware of the risks of windows and balconies. Repeated reminders can save lives.
Check the guardrails
They must be at least one meter high and cannot be easily climbed. In old buildings, their solidity should be checked regularly.
Close the windows as soon as a room is no longer monitored
During heat episodes, this reflex can seem restrictive. However, it remains one of the most effective ways to prevent serious domestic accidents.
A danger still too underestimated
These falls remain rare, but their consequences are often dramatic. They occur in everyday situations, in ordinary families, sometimes even in the presence of parents.
“Inform other adults responsible for children about the dangers of defenestration and the preventive measures to adopt“insists Dr Gérald Kierzek. Indeed, your children can be safe at home, but the risk will be present elsewhere, with their grandparents for example or with friends.
With temperatures rising and windows constantly open, specialists point out that no child is completely safe from danger, even when they seem old enough to understand.