Drivers who were stuck in traffic in a heavily congested expressway tunnel in southwest China have been hailed for their actions in pulling aside to form a potentially life-saving passageway which allowed an ambulance to swiftly transport a critically ill newborn baby to a hospital hundreds of kilometers away.
The emergency response came after a hospital in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region received an urgent call about the condition of a baby in the neighboring Guizhou Province late on Feb 13.
It was reported that a newborn girl at a hospital in Guizhou's Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture was experiencing repeated vomiting and required immediate transfer for specialized treatment.
"The baby, born just three days prior, weighed only 1.7 kilograms at birth and suffered from severe, recurrent vomiting. Suspecting a potential digestive tract malformation, we set off immediately upon receiving the call," said Zhang Yingying, a pediatrician at the Liuzhou Hospital of the Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center in Guangxi.
The ambulance responsible for transferring the sick baby arrived in Guizhou's Liping County in the early hours of the morning and promptly began its return journey with the newborn on-board.
However, during the nearly 300-kilometer drive, the emergency crews encountered an unexpected traffic jam as it approached a tunnel, leading to concerns about the baby's condition if there was to be a prolonged delay.
"The baby may have vomited during the transfer, and if she had remained in the tunnel too long, the limited oxygen in the ambulance could have posed a serious risk," said Zhang.
Just as the doctors and the baby's family were growing increasingly anxious, the vehicles ahead began to move aside upon hearing the sound of the ambulance, creating a crucial passage in the middle of the narrow tunnel which allowed the emergency vehicle enough space to get through.
"Many drivers and passengers even got out their vehicles to help us move the cars and direct traffic, creating a 'path of life' in the middle of the road," said Zhang.
Thanks to these actions, the ambulance was able to pass the nearly 10-kilometer-long congested section in less than half an hour. The baby's family expressed their deep gratitude to all motorists who cooperated that morning.
"As a father, I was deeply moved and brought to tears. These drivers made way for my child, ensuring we reached the hospital safely," said Lu Xiuhui, the baby's grateful father.
After undergoing treatment, the baby was later discharged from hospital on February 25.
Motorists make way to create "life-saving passage" for ambulance carrying newborn baby
