Abomey: a housewife saved from a 20-meter pit inhabited by snakes

The tragedy occurred on a farm located in the Agnangnan neighborhood, in the Hounli district (Abomey municipality, Zou department). She was barely pulled out alive thanks to a large-scale intervention carried out by the teams from the Bohicon municipal civil protection center (CCPC).

​An extreme rescue of more than two hours

​Alerted by the local residents at 9:13 PM, the firefighters immediately rushed to the scene. Given the configuration of the area, the firefighters established a security perimeter before deploying a specialized rescue device for deep and confined space operations.

​According to an official statement from the Beninese civil protection agency reported by Banouto, the operation turned out to be particularly complex and perilous. The victim was indeed trapped about twenty meters deep, along with three snakes inside the cavity. Despite these extreme conditions, the professionalism of the rescuers enabled them to bring the thirty-year-old up alive after more than two hours of intense efforts.

Although she was conscious, the victim suffered from multiple traumas and bodily pains. The rescuers provided her with initial emergency care, applied a cervical collar, and fully immobilized her on a hard surface before urgently evacuating her to the Goho departmental hospital (CHD) in Abomey for medical treatment.

​Civil protection authorities remind all citizens that these neglected excavations “constitute real traps for populations, particularly in rural areas and agricultural workspaces.” Consequently, the institution strongly urges the owners of these sites as well as the competent local authorities to take all necessary safety measures to prevent such tragedies and protect human lives.