Firefighting police officers rescued a heavyset American tourist who fell in the bathroom and couldn't get out on April 22. — Photo from the police

ĐÀ NẴNG — Firefighters and rescue forces in the central city of Đà Nẵng successfully freed a 65-year-old American tourist weighing nearly 300kg after he fell became trapped inside a bathroom.

The incident occurred on Wednesday at a residence on An Thượng 3 Street in Ngũ Hành Sơn Ward, authorities said on Thursday.

According to the city’s police, the man had fallen while using the bathroom and was unable to move due to his size.

At 8.33am, the command centre of the Đà Nẵng Police received an emergency call reporting the situation. Rescue teams from the Fire Prevention, Fighting and Rescue Police Division were immediately dispatched to the scene, working alongside local police and medical personnel.

The operation proved particularly challenging, as the confined space of the bathroom combined with the man’s large body mass made extraction difficult.

Rescuers deployed specialised equipment and devised a careful plan to ensure the man’s safety. Part of the bathroom structure had to be dismantled to create enough space for the extraction, while coordination with medical teams was maintained throughout the process.

After nearly three hours of effort, the man was safely brought out at around 11.10am and handed over to medical staff. Authorities said his health condition had stabilised following the rescue.

The tourist, identified as S.A.G., stands about 1.8m tall, travelled to Việt Nam with his family earlier in April. — VNS