A man who became trapped in a septic tank with rising water has been dramatically rescued thanks to the bark of a dog.
The repairman, aged in his 40s, became stuck upside down in the tank for more than hour in Terrey Hills in Sydney’s north, about 12.30pm on Wednesday.
The man was found after a 13-year-old girl’s dog began frantically barking and whimpering on a walk past the Myoora Road property, prompting her to urgently call emergency services.
In an effort to save the man, the girl threw a rope into the tank for the man to grab onto, while she waited for crews to arrive.
The man was freed from the 2.3 metre deep tank after a 40-minute rescue operation and rushed to Northern Beaches Hospitalxjmtzyw in a stable condition.
NSW Ambulance Inspector Charnan Kurth said authorities rigged a rope hauling system to pull the man out of the tank as water levels rose.
“NSW Ambulance paramedics arrived on scene and were confronted with a challenging scene,” he said.
“The man was unable to free himself and had stated that the water inside the tank was rising.”
The border collie dog named “Spot” has been praised for saving the man from the terrifying ordeal.
“Had the dog not heard the man’s cries, it may not have been such a good ending,” one paramedic said.
