Three young siblings were tragically killed when a 20-tonne boulder rolled into their home and landed on the bed where they were sharing a tablet.
The three children – aged six, seven and 10 – were all siblings of the Wei family, who live in the village of Liantan in Xuanwu County in China’s southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
Local officials received reports of the incident at 5:43pm local time last night (25th March) and dispatched 24 firefighters to the Wei family home.
Rescuers found the boulder, which officials estimated to weigh 20 tonnes, had punched through two walls after rolling down a nearby mountain.
The boulder crashed into the far room and onto the bed where the three children were watching the same tablet computer, authorities said.
Due to the weight of the boulder, officials had to employ an excavator and levelled part of the family’s home to reach the young victims.
Rescuers were finally able to retrieve the siblings from under the boulder and surrounding rubble at 10:17pm.
Paramedics who attended the scene then pronounced the children dead after no vital signs were detected, the fire service reported.
Xuanwu County officials said the boulder likely rolled into the home at the foot of the mountain due to recent landslides or mudslides triggered by heavy rain.
They are supporting the family following the loss of their children, two of whom were nursery school pupils, and one of whom was in the fourth year of primary school.
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Story By: John Feng, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report
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