Rescue operations following a major 7.4 magnitude earthquake in Colombia reached a critical milestone when emergency responders and local volunteers extracted a two-month-old infant and his father from the rubble of a collapsed apartment building in Cali, according to local media reports and eyewitness accounts documented by CNN.
Cali Neighborhoods Face Devastation After 7.4 Magnitude Tremor
The tremor, which struck western Colombia, flattened a five-story residential building in Cali and sent residents fleeing into the streets in panic.
According to CNN, local resident Osorio was riding a motorcycle home from his office when the collapse blocked his path, leaving residents crying, dressed in nightclothes, and stranded outdoors.
Bystanders Hear Faint Cries Amid Gas Leak Risks
Risking potential gas leaks in the disaster zone, Osorio approached the unstable debris pile and shouted to check for survivors.
After commanding the surrounding crowd to stay quiet, he heard a faint voice responding from beneath the concrete, with a man stating that he and an infant were trapped inside.
Volunteers Move Heavy Concrete Slabs by Hand
Osorio and several volunteers began moving debris by hand until they encountered a massive concrete slab blocking their access.
As reported by CNN, the initial attempt to move the barrier failed before the group coordinated a second push to lift the heavy material.
Narrow Extraction Saves Trapped Father and Infant
Because the slab could not be completely removed, team members propped it open while others cleared an extraction pathway.
Rescuers soon spotted the infant’s head covered in dust, noting that the baby’s face had turned purple from restricted airflow before he began breathing normally again as the debris was cleared.
Search Continues for Missing Family Members
Video footage captured the infant being pulled safely from the wreckage wearing a dust-covered outfit, while his father lay nearby with a bleeding arm trapped beneath the concrete. Colombian media outlets reported that the father was successfully rescued after the baby was handed over to police for transport to an ambulance.
Search and rescue teams continue to look for additional missing family members, including the infant’s mother and uncle, who remained unaccounted for in the aftermath of the disaster.