Beijing metro train pauses in rush hours to treat unconscious girl

A metro train in Beijing suspended its service for around seven minutes during the morning rush hours on Tuesday to give time for volunteers and emergency respondents to bring a little fainted girl back to consciousness.

Trains run with a two-minute interval during rush hours at the Fangshan Line linking the Chinese capital city's downtown area with the southwestern suburban Fangshan District.

Passengers and metro staff are treating a sick girl on a Fangshan Line train in Beijing, China, April 21, 2020. /Beijing Daily

The girl, 7, suddenly fell off the seat and had a hard time breathing as the train was running, her father, identified by his surname Wen, told Beijing Daily. He said that a passenger, later identified as Ms. Yang, rushed up to help and made resuscitation efforts.

The metro staff was on standby when the train arrived at the next station. Zhang Yuanjie, the station director on duty, had contacted a medical emergency response team and police before she boarded the train to help with first aid. The train suspended its service for seven minutes at the station.

The metro staff placed a coat on the floor to let the girl lie down as they waited for medics to transport her to a hospital. /Beijing Daily

The girl gradually came to and was able to get off the train. Zhang placed her coat on the floor so the girl can comfortably lie down when waiting for the ambulance.

Mr. Wen, the girl's father, expressed thanks to Beijing's metro staff (1st L) with a thank-you letter to the staff and a passenger who helped to save his sick daughter on a metro train in Beijing, China, April 22, 2020. /Beijing Daily

According to Wen, the girl is now in good condition. He later visited the metro station to extend his family's gratitude to the staff and the passenger for helping his daughter, saying their efforts gave his child "a second life."

Footage of the incident was trending on Chinese social media platform Weibo, with 180 million views, with netizens praising everyone who rushed to help.

"They actually saved a family," Weibo user @banshengzhishi commented.

"People did not look on with folded arms. They saved the child and everyone should copy their good deeds," @Xiaoziweinitu520 said.

However, some suggested that basic knowledge of emergency treatment should be widely popularized.

A total of eight AED facilities are placed at Beijing West Railway Station in 2019. /CFP

According to the "Healthy China 2030" plan, elementary and high schools should include first-aid basics in their curriculum. The country is also increasing the number of automated external defibrillators (AED) especially at metro stations, railway stations and airports. Beijing currently has around 600 AED facilities and is aiming to have more at transportation terminals.