PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) -
A young boy fell from a third-story apartment complex window on to concrete in southeast Portland on Tuesday.
Firefighters responded to the apartments at 10036 SE Division St. at about 1 p.m. When they arrived, they found the boy conscious and crying next to a window screen on the sidewalk.
The boy was rushed to Oregon Health & Science University to be treated, and he's currently in critical condition.
Portland fire spokesman Paul Corah said the child is between 4 and 5 years old.
A grandmother was home at the time the child fell.
Kathy Younkin, who was working nearby, said her co-worker, who lives in the building across the way, saw the child near the window right before the fall.
"She saw him staring out the window, and she told him to get away from the window," said Younkin.
Not long after, neighbors said, they heard screaming and crying.
"The child was laying on the sidewalk being treated by his parents, other neighbors. The window screen was propped up against the plant next to them," said Steve Pinkerton.
"He obviously looked like he was in pain, hurt," said Pinkerton.
Fox 12 spoke to the boy's Grandmother who said she went to the bathroom for two minutes, then received a knock on the door about what happened.
"When I went downstairs I saw James on cement, crying," Sarla Devi said through tears.
Devi said her grandson will have to spend the night in the hospital. She said doctors are running tests to determine how seriously he was injured.
Devi said she returned home from the hospital to grab her bible and pray.
"Please save this baby, Lord," she said crying.
Firefighters said these types of accidents happen all too often, especially as the weather warms up.
Officials said the incident serves as a reminder to install window stops in order to keep children from opening them more than four inches.
"These kinds of accidents are very much preventable; a simple window lock would help," said Paul Corah, a spokesman with Portland Fire & Rescue. "I want to ask everyone with kids at home, to lock windows at four inches," urged Corah.
Window safety products can be purchased at the Safety Store at Randall's Children Hospital at Legacy Emanuel, located at 501 N. Graham St., Portland, OR 97227 and Portland Fire & Rescue's Historic Belmont Firehouse & Safety Learning Center, located at 900 SE 35th Ave., Portland, OR. They can also be purchased at Doernbecher's Tom Sargent Children's Safety Center at OHSU.
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