Confined Space Entrapment: A Silent Danger Every Parent Should Know

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Sultan Kiani

Sometimes tragedy can strike when least expected, turning a normal day into a devastating nightmare. Here’s some safety tips for keeping your children safe from entrapment.

May 6, 2025, began like any other regular day for a family in a Punjab village until all their children suddenly went missing. Their search led them to a large wheat container recently left open for cleaning. Upon opening the lid, they made a horrific discovery confirming their worst fears. Their missing children were found inside the wheat container, but all were unresponsive. They immediately called for medical help, but it was already too late. None of them could be resuscitated, leading to an unimaginable loss for the family. This is the tragic tale of a bizarre accident in Kot Momin village near Sargodha, where six young girls, aged between 1 and 8, died of suffocation. It all began when the children entered the container while playing. The lid suddenly shut, trapping them inside with no way out. Sadly, nobody heard their desperate screams for help during those final moments.

What is truly concerning is that this is not the first case of its kind. Similar mishaps have occurred repeatedly over the years. In March 2021, five young children died of suffocation in Bikaner, Rajasthan, India after sneaking into a wheat storage container. Another tragedy occurred in Rawalpindi in November 2023, claiming three young lives in a nearly identical manner. Just days before the Kot Momin tragedy, on May 4, 2025, two children died in a similar accident in rural Sahiwal.

Initially, I believed these incidents were mostly common in the Indian subcontinent. However, deeper research revealed this to be a global concern. Such accidental deaths are not confined to a single region, and metal boxes are just one of several potential death traps. Children have died from suffocation in various confined spaces worldwide, including car trunks, deep freezers, water tanks, and closets. This public safety hazard, known as "Child Entrapment in Confined Spaces," occurs when young children get trapped in enclosed areas. Once locked in, the lack of oxygen, inability to escape, and panic can quickly lead to death. The risk becomes more severe in hot environments due to the added threat of intense heat.

How do such accidents happen in the first place?

Young children are naturally curious with little situational awareness. They unknowingly enter dangerous places while playing, often during games like hide and seek. Many everyday items have doors or lids that can lock shut, entrapping anyone inside.

Unsupervised children around unsafe objects create a recipe for disaster.

Such preventable accidents will not stop unless we act. From parents and teachers to government authorities, everyone must play a responsible role.

Protecting Children from Confined Space Entrapment Accidents

The hazard is horrific, but proper risk management can almost eliminate it. Here are key safety measures to help prevent these accidents:

What can parents do?

Identify potential entrapment spots like containers, closets, refrigerators, and car trunks at home. Ensure they are accessible only to adults. Install child proof locks on doors and lids.

If a lid or door must remain open (e.g., during cleaning), lock it in the open position to prevent accidental closure.

Teach children about the dangers of enclosed spaces in a simple, age-appropriate way.

Always supervise your children. Do not assume your home is perfectly safe or that children understand hazards. Never leave them unsupervised for long.

Be extra cautious when staying with children in unfamiliar places like a friend’s or relative’s home or in a hotel.

If a child disappears from home, first check potential entrapment spots such as closets, containers, tanks, and car trunks before searching outside. A quick rescue could be their only chance for survival.

Important: Schools and daycare centers must also take all these precautions. There are cases of children dying in school due to entrapment.

The Role of Government

Though parents and teachers bear primary responsibility, government regulations can help reduce these tragedies.

For example, in the U.S., a 2001 law made it mandatory for car manufacturers to include internal trunk release handles. This law came after several deaths and had since saved many lives. Unfortunately, only North American countries enforce this rule. In Pakistan and many others, it is not required.

Similar laws in Pakistan could make a big difference. Car manufacturers should be asked to include safety features like internal release handles. Safety standards must also apply to household storage containers. Their doors and lids should be redesigned to prevent accidental closure and include internal escape mechanisms.

Another U.S. regulation, the Refrigerator Safety Act of 1956, required changes in refrigerator design to prevent entrapment.

Let us spread awareness and keep parents informed. One day, this knowledge might help save a life. After all, safety starts at home.

Notable Cases of Child Entrapment Accidents in Confined Spaces

Accident Details	Location	Date
6 minor girls died from suffocation after becoming trapped inside a wheat storage container	Sargodha Pakistan	May, 2025
2 young brothers died from suffocation after becoming trapped inside a wheat storage container	Daska, Pakistan	April, 2025
Two 3-year-old cousins got trapped in a parked car while playing outside resulting in death of one, the other one was rescued alive.	Karachi, Pakistan	August, 2024
5 young children died from suffocation after becoming trapped inside a wheat storage container	Bikaner (Rajasthan), India	March, 2021
3 children climbed into an unplugged chest freezer while playing outside and suffocated	Live Oak (Florid), USA	January, 2019
5 children trapped in a large freezer and died from suffocation	Kakamas Town, South Africa	January, 2016
5 minor girls died by suffocation and heat stroke after becoming trapped in an abandoned car trunk	West Valley City (Utah), USA	August, 1998