EL PRAT DE LLOBREGAT – The fire brigade carried out a heroic rescue operation yesterday in El Prat de Llobregat (Barcelona). They rescued a 250-kilogram man who had been trapped between mountains of rubbish in his apartment for some time.
Alejandro B., 48, who was said to be morbidly obese, had fallen and needed urgent help. However, it took seven hours for the specialists to free him from his plight. The shocking incident has attracted much attention and raised questions about the responsibility of social services.
The man hadn’t left home since the pandemic started
The worrying situation unfolded in El Prat de Llobregat when the police received an emergency call stating that a man was trapped among the rubbish in his apartment. The man, who reportedly weighs more than 250 kilograms, had not left his home since the start of the pandemic, when he started working from home. The lack of food and water left him in a life-threatening situation, and ultimately, he begged for help. Fortunately, the firefighters were quickly on the scene to save him.
Complicated operation with mountains of waste
The rescue operation was anything but easy. The firefighters had to slog through piles of rubbish, including bags, plastic and boxes, to reach the trapped man. Finally, after an intense effort of seven hours, the specialists managed to bring Alejandro B. out safely. The incident, however, presented the firefighters with a major challenge. They had never intervened in such an extreme situation before.
Where were the social services?
The question now arises why social services did not intervene sooner. According to witnesses, reports had been made several times about the man’s precarious condition. However, according to them, these were not taken seriously. The municipality of El Prat de Llobregat indicated they were previously involved in the case, but that the situation was considered normalised after previous interventions. However, this raises questions about the effectiveness of the system and the care for people in such circumstances.
Hospital
Alejandro B. is currently in a hospital in Bellvitge, where his condition is stable. The municipality is working closely with health services to monitor his recovery and determine whether he can return to his home or whether admission to a care facility is necessary. The incident shocked the local community and sparked calls for more attention and action for people in similar situations.
Also read: Critical situation in Spain: In 2035, more than 37 per cent of Spaniards will be overweight
