Benin: a couple falls into a septic tank in Gbétagbo

The events, as reported, took place at the end of last weekend and involved the whole neighborhood. It all started when the wife sat down on the family latrine slab. Her aim was simply to pick some lemons from a tree planted right next to it. Unfortunately, the concrete lid couldn’t support her weight and suddenly gave way, plunging her into the void.

Witnessing the scene, her husband hesitated for not a second and ran to try to pull her out. In his rescue attempt, he too slipped and fell into the pit.

Hearing the calls for help, the neighborhood residents reacted very quickly. Even before the arrival of emergency services, locals managed to organize themselves to pull the couple from that trap. While the husband came out relatively well with minor injuries and stable health, the situation is much more concerning for his wife, seriously injured in her fall.

Urgently taken care of at the village dispensary, the young woman had to be transferred to the Abomey-Calavi zone hospital due to the severity of her injuries. Given the complexity of her condition, the doctors ultimately decided to evacuate her to the National Hospital and University Center (CNHU-HKM) in Cotonou, where she is currently receiving intensive care.