Warning: Oversized Sunscreen Shirt Leaves 11-Year-Old Boy with Fractured Arm After Getting Caught in Motorcycle Wheel
An 11-year-old boy in Udon Thani province suffered a fractured arm when his oversized sunscreen shirt became caught in his mother's motorcycle wheel while they were riding to summer school. Emergency responders quickly freed the boy, who remained calm throughout the incident, and he was transported safely to the hospital. The incident has prompted warnings from authorities about the dangers of loose-fitting clothing while riding motorcycles.
On April 28, emergency services in Udon Thani province responded to a report of a child with an arm trapped in a motorcycle wheel on Mak Khaeng Road. The victim, an 11-year-old boy nicknamed Ball, had his left arm caught in the wheel and chain when his oversized long-sleeved shirt, worn for sun and wind protection, accidentally slipped down and became entangled in the motorcycle's spinning chain while his mother was driving him to summer school. The rotating chain pulled the shirt sleeve and violently yanked his arm into the wheel, fracturing the bone.
When chaos erupted at the scene, Pongsak Promraksai, a 56-year-old emergency response officer from the Udon Thani municipality who was nearby, heard the cries for help and rushed to assist. He borrowed large metal cutters from nearby residents to cut the motorcycle chain and relieve the pressure on the boy's arm. Throughout the ordeal, the boy's mother held him tightly while Ball remained remarkably composed and did not cry. After a considerable amount of time, responders successfully freed his arm. Emergency volunteers from the Dharma Promotion Foundation of Udon Thani then provided first aid, discovering the fractured left arm and a laceration near the ear before transporting him to Udon Thani Hospital, where he is now safe.
Officer Pongsak emphasized that this incident serves as a cautionary reminder to parents and guardians to be careful about their children's clothing while riding as passengers on motorcycles, particularly oversized shirts, scarves, or long skirts that could become entangled in the chain or wheel, potentially causing unexpected tragedy.