A 9-year-old boy was pulled to safety Monday afternoon after he was swept into a ditch filled with rushing water near Sand Creek Elementary School in Littleton.
The child had been on a path near the school with his mother and other children when he crossed a bridge over the water-filled ditch and apparently ventured into the ditch, said Jim Hofstra, Littleton fire marshal.
The boy was sucked into the water, but bystanders were able to grab him and pull him out, said Hofstra.
Littleton Fire and Rescue received a call at 5:09 p.m. and were at the scene, 8898 S. Maplewood Drive, by 5:16 p.m., said Hofstra.
They treated the child for cuts and bruises, and he was taken to a hospital as a precaution.
Hofstra said that ditches and streams in the Littleton area, which were running full Monday because of melting snow, have subsided substantially today.
He added, however, that his department is keeping an eye on the South Platte River, which is running high through Littleton because of a substantial release of water from Chatfield Reservoir. Engineers there are making room for the heavy runoff expected from melting snow in the mountains, said the fire marshal.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
