Heatwave danger: Burnaby RCMP urging caution after toddler falls from second-storey window

Burnaby RCMP is urging families to secure the windows in their homes this summer after a toddler fell from an apartment window on Sunday night.

Police were called to Arcola Street near Sperling Avenue around 9:30 p.m. after witnesses saw the child fall from a window on the second floor.

The 14-month-old was taken to hospital for treatment but wasn’t seriously hurt, despite the distance of the fall.

It’s believed the boy had climbed on to furniture before he fell through the window, which did not have a screen and had been left open due to the recent hot weather.

In this case it just took a moment for the child to fall, while a parent had briefly stepped out of the room. As the weather heats up, we are urging all parents and families to do a safety assessment in their own home, said Cpl. Mike Kalanj with the Burnaby RCMP.

We want to prevent this from happening to another family this summer. The hot weather we are experiencing right now provides a perfect opportunity to evaluate window safety, Kalanj said.

Some tips from Fraser Health on keeping homes and windows more secure for young children:

• Move household items away from windows to discourage children from climbing to peer out.
• Don’t underestimate a child’s mobility; children begin climbing before they can walk.
• Toddlers may use anything as a step stool to get higher.
• Be aware that window screens will not prevent children from falling through – they keep bugs out, not children in.
• Install window guards on windows above the ground level. These act as a gate in front of the window.
• Install window and door safety locks so that they cannot open more than 10 centimetres (four inches).
• Talk to your children about the dangers of opening and playing near windows, particularly on upper floors of the home.