Thunderstorms and gusts in Montreal: the teen has been stuck for at least 30 minutes under the tree

The 15-year-old teenager seriously injured during the violent thunderstorms on Tuesday evening remained stuck under a tree for at least half an hour before the rescuers finally managed to extricate him.

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Seeing the large pine in front of his residence which had just crashed on the sidewalk, Fabio Fratelli approached to check the extent of the damage. “This is where I saw a young person below … dying,” says the resident of the Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough, still shaken by events.

He ran to his residence to call 911. He stayed at the end of the line for “easily” five minutes before he could simply speak to a distributor, so the emergency service was occupied.

At this time, thunderstorms and powerful gusts fell on the metropolis, causing significant damage and several power outages.

“I don’t know that it has been how long it was stuck there,” worries Mr. Fratelli again. In the family district, several neighbors say they don’t even have heard the tree fall, so it was short before 8 p.m.

Part of the trunk is still rooted. Photo Erika Aubin

A long rescue

While waiting for the arrival of first aid, Mr. Fratelli tried to reassure the 15 -year -old adolescent. “I told him to stay quiet because he [gigotait] With its upper body. But he didn’t answer me and his eyes lost, as if he had hit his head, “he says.

Police and firefighters quickly arrived on the scene. However, it took at least 30 long minutes before the adolescent was finally extricated from under the mature tree, according to Mr. Fratelli.

“They worked hard, but it is a huge tree, it does not rise up,” he explains.

The victim would have remained aware during his ambulance transport to the hospital. However, we feared for our life on Tuesday evening.

MARIO BEAUREGARD/AGENCE QMI

Fabio Fratelli wonders if a faster response time in the 911 could have improved the teenager’s fate.

“In this kind of situation, every minute counts. People call 911 for everything and anything. But it is for a service for emergencies only, if there is someone injured, ”he says as a message.