The search for a child who fell into a canal and the man who tried to rescue her has had to be called off this afternoon due to poor weather conditions.
Around 1.20pm today, Thursday July 9, the City’s Fire and Rescue Service was alerted to the incident in which a child had fallen into the canal near 8th Avenue, Belgravia Estate.
Fire crews from Ottery and Epping fire stations and divers from Roeland Street fire station were dispatched to the scene.
When they arrived, residents told the officer in charge that a man had also jumped into the canal.
Members of the Ottery fire crew positioned themselves in Klipfontein Road across from the Mary Harding School, while Epping’s crew were at Kudu and Hickory roads, and Loerie and Cornflower street, while divers were at the sewerage plant.
Police divers were at Buckner Road in Hazendal. A buoy, thrown into the canal to ascertain a possible exit point, emerged at Kudu and Hickory roads.
The dive supervisor, however, called off the search at 4.34pm due to adverse weather conditions.
The little girl was believed to have been playing with her friends on the banks of the canal when she slipped and fell in. She reportedly was drifting when a man who saw the incident unfold jumped in to rescue her.
Picture: Radio 786