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Boy, 3, suffers broken leg after being crushed by automatic gate

A three-year-old boy is recovering in hospital after he was crushed by an automatic driveway gate at a Sydney apartment complex.

His injuries were so severe the little boy was heavily sedated for the pain, while CareFlight doctors worked to immobilise his badly broken leg.

He had been playing on a bike in the driveway of his Quakers Hill home when a moment’s inattention caused the unthinkable to happen.

A three-year-old boy is recovering in hospital after he was crushed by an automatic driveway gate at a Sydney apartment complex. Source: 7 News
A three-year-old boy is recovering in hospital after he was crushed by an automatic driveway gate at a Sydney apartment complex. Source: 7 News

He became entangled in the gate as its motor kicked in and was dragged against the wall, his foot wedged behind a box.

As the gate moved, his leg snapped.

“I tried to get a bar to pry him out, but as soon as I pulled on the bar I could see his leg expanding and I didn’t want anything to happen to the little kid,” said witness Brett Schubert.

“So I just waited for the ambos to get here.”

The child became entangled in the gate as its motor kicked in and was dragged against the wall with his foot wedged in. Source: 7 News
The child became entangled in the gate as its motor kicked in and was dragged against the wall with his foot wedged in. Source: 7 News
He was sedated then rushed to Westmead Hospital. Source: 7 News
He was sedated then rushed to Westmead Hospital. Source: 7 News

It took a small army of emergency services workers 40 minutes to cut the iron bars and free the young boy before he was rushed to Westmead Hospital.

He underwent surgery Wednesday afternoon and specialists are confident of a full recovery.