A two-year-old child has tragically died after falling into a septic tank at a school in Area 25, Kanengo, Lilongwe.

According to Kanengo Police spokesperson Gresham Ngwira, the incident occurred on the afternoon of February 10 while the child was playing with friends outside the school premises.

Ngwira explained that school staff heard the child’s cries and, upon investigating, discovered that the toddler had fallen into the tank. Concerned individuals quickly worked together to rescue the child and rushed them to Area 25 Health Centre. Unfortunately, the child was pronounced dead upon arrival, with the hospital report indicating suffocation as the cause of death.

The deceased, originally from Chapasuka Village under Senior Chief Katunga in Chikwawa District, met the tragic fate due to a lack of proper safety measures around the septic tank.

Authorities are urging institutions to improve safety standards to prevent similar incidents in the future.