A boy in China has cheated death after falling from a balcony 23 storeys up while playing with his friend.
The child landed on an outdoor air conditioning unit four levels below and survived the ordeal without serious injuries.
The boy was playing at his neighbour's home when he fell into a ventilation shaft Monday night in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province.
It is said that the child plummeted after stepping onto a wooden board suspended between the balconies of his home and his neighbour's home.
His neighbour's apartment was under renovation, and construction workers had replaced a concrete slab between the two balconies with the plank in order to install an air conditioner, reported Zhejiang Online.
The child fell into the shaft after the wooden board collapsed under his weight. He was saved after the air conditioning unit caught him.
The Hangzhou Fire Brigade immediately sent rescuers to the residential complex after receiving a report.
Footage released by the brigade shows firefighters descending the narrow chute to reach the boy.
They put a harness around him and consoled him before instructing him to climb up slowly by holding onto the wall.
Several other firefighters waited on the 22nd floor and gently pulled the boy up with the help of a rope.
The child was rescued after six minutes, said firefighters. He was taken to the hospital.
The boy sustained bruises on his back and arm, according to local newspaper Urban Express.
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