A young girl has been critically injured after falling from an 11th-floor balcony of an apartment building on Alta Vista Drive in Ottawa Saturday morning. Paramedics were called to the scene at approximately 11:22 a. m. and transported the child to CHEO's emergency department.
Witnesses described the scene as traumatic. Halima Begum, who was on her own balcony at the time, reported seeing the child on a chair shortly before the fall. Another resident, Showaib Chowdhury, who has a toddler himself, expressed shock and worry about child safety on balconies. "It's an absolute tragedy," said Alta Vista Coun. Marty Carr, extending her condolences to the family.
This incident is sadly not the first of its kind in Ottawa this year. A child was injured in a balcony fall in Stittsville in early June, and tragically, a young boy died after falling from an apartment window in April. Councillor Carr emphasized the need for ongoing conversations with building owners and tenants regarding safety measures to prevent future tragedies.
The Ottawa Paramedic Service confirmed the child's critical condition, and police are involved in the ongoing investigation. The incident has prompted renewed calls for enhanced safety awareness concerning children and high-rise living in the city.
