KOTA MARUDU, March 15 — A five-year-old boy was rushed to the hospital here when an iron rod pierced his chest and neck after falling near Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Tandek in Kampung Tandek, here yesterday.

It was learned that the boy was walking with his mother to a grocery shop when he fell down around 6pm.

The mother immediately took her son to the hospital but doctors were unable to remove the iron rod.

Kota Marudu fire and rescue station chief Mohd Hasbi Hajat said they received a call from the hospital requesting for assistance at 6.31pm.

A team rushed to the hospital and removed the iron rod from the boy.

"Fire and rescue personnel cut the iron rod using special equipment.

"The boy’s condition was not known at that time as he was sedated when the operation was being carried out,” said Hasbi, adding that the operation ended at 7.09pm.

It is learned that the boy is in stable condition. — The Borneo Post