A child in New Zealand became trapped in an automated gate as it opened to let a car through, causing injuries consistent with crushing. The gate stalled and jammed when it came into contact with the child.
Fortunately, a group of adults close by were able to free the child, who has since made a full recovery. If the adults were not there to intervene, the child could have been crushed to death.
The child was playing in a public park by an automated gate which retracts to open after a car has activated it via sensor loops under the tar seal.
The child was at the end where the opening gate retracts into, which is known as the gate housing.
The child was not visible to a driver approaching the gate because of a bush.
As the car approached, the gate opening activated and the child was pulled into the space between the wall behind the gate and the bars of the gate (the gate housing).
The process of the child being pulled into the space, trapped and being crushed took less than 45 seconds.
The gate had no safety devices to protect people from injury as it opened. These devices are designed to detect obstructions such as objects and people, stop the gate, and force it to move in the opposite direction so the object or person is released.
