A toddler named Bentley fell down a deep narrow PVC pipe in his Kansas yard while playing in his family’s front yard. The incident was captured on video as a quick-thinking rescue crew worked to save him. Bentley had stepped over a loose manhole cover and plummeted nine feet into the hole, causing his parents to frantically try to rescue him.
The parents, Blake and Elizabeth, reassured Bentley as the rescue crew tried to figure out how to bring him back above ground. One crew member crafted a PVC pipe and rope into a catch pole to grab Bentley, who was crying in the hole. The dramatic video showed the moment when the crew member carefully maneuvered the pipe and reached into the narrow hole to rescue the toddler, who stopped crying instantly upon seeing sunlight again.
Despite the chaos and stress of the situation, Bentley miraculously did not sustain any injuries. His mother, Elizabeth, described the experience as the longest 25 minutes of her life and was relieved that her son was safe. She witnessed the accident unfold before her eyes, as Bentley accidentally stepped on the loose manhole cover and fell into the exposed hole.
First responders used various methods to reach Bentley, who was conscious but panicked. The boy’s quick thinking, such as flailing his arms to slow his descent, may have contributed to his safety during the fall. The team tried to loop a rope around him and even used a PVC pipe with an L-shaped bend to reach him before successfully rescuing him with a catch pole made on the spot.
Bentley emerged from the incident muddied and shocked but did not require a hospital visit. The purpose of the pipe in the yard was unknown, but it was suspected to be connected to a sump pump to divert excess rainwater. Bentley’s parents, Blake and Elizabeth, planned to secure the manhole cover to prevent future accidents. The town of Moundridge, where the incident took place, is located about 40 miles north of Wichita, with a population of about 2,000 residents.
