Heroic man saves trapped girl from falling

This GIF image captures the moment Huang Xingjie climbed down to the 8th floor apartment to rescue the 4-year-old girl. [GIF/CCTV News]

Huang Xingjie, a construction worker in Wuzhou, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, has been widely praised for rescuing a 4-year-old girl trapped between the balcony railings outside an 8th floor apartment on Dec 12, CCTV News reported.

On that morning, the girl, who was home alone at the time, climbed onto the balcony and accidentally slipped outside, becoming stuck between the railings. She tried multiple times to climb back up but was unsuccessful, leaving her dangling in midair, in an extremely dangerous situation.

Huang, who specializes in the installation of doors and windows, was leaving for work when a neighbor informed him of the incident. Without hesitation, Huang rushed to the scene.

"As a father myself, I felt deeply anxious. I just wanted to save her as quickly as possible," Huang said.

Initially, Huang and other residents gathered below the balcony, made a cushion with an awning cover and quilts in case the girl slipped. After they gained access to the building, Huang sprinted to the 8th floor but found no one at home. He then proceeded to the 9th floor, where a resident allowed him to enter.

Huang climbed outside and carefully descended to where the girl was trapped. Without any safety equipment, he steadied himself on the railing, supported the girl's legs and gently pushed her back inside the apartment. Moments later, neighbors who managed to break into the 8th floor apartment brought the girl to safety.

The girl's family rushed home upon hearing the news and expressed their gratitude to Huang and the other rescuers. Medical personnel who arrived on the scene confirmed that the child was unharmed.

Despite the life-threatening risk he took, Huang expressed his resolve to continue helping others in the future. "If I encounter a dangerous situation again, I will still step in to help. I believe anyone would do the same."

Huang's act of heroism has drawn widespread admiration. On Dec 14, local authorities announced plans to formally recognize his heroic actions and reward him for his selflessness.