Boy, 4, rescued from stormwater drain after pipe adventure

A YOUNG boy is lucky to be alive after becoming stuck in a drain on one of the state’s wettest days while playing with friends.

Vanessa Grimmett with four-year-old son Drazic, who was rescued from a stormwater drain by emergency services in Morayfield. Picture: Liam Kidston

• How the drama unfolded
• North gets a soaking
• Latest observations

A YOUNG boy is lucky to be alive after becoming stuck in a drain on one of the state’s wettest days.

Four-year-old Drazic Grim­­mett was playing with friends in a Morayfield park yesterday morning when he crawled up a stormwater drain. After travelling about 50 metres along the pipe, he was unable to get out.

Drazic Grimmett waits to be rescued.

Graham and Norelle Best, whose house is next to Crowe Park, rushed to help after hearing a voice “echo like it was coming from a drain”.

The couple called emergency services and kept Drazic company while they waited for help.

“He was a calm little fella. He was a bit shy, and he seemed to be a little bit frightened,” Mr Best told The Sunday Mail.

It took four Caboolture firefighters to remove the stormwater grate and pull Drazic out.

“Had it rained while he was in there, it would be a different story,” station officer Rowen Clem said.

Drazic’s mother, Vanessa, was frantic when told the news.

“While I was on the phone, I was running down the hill,” she said. “He would have been swept away if he was in there now.”

She said Drazic was meant to be playing at a friend’s house but instead “had an adventure up the drain pipes”.

“Just make sure your children are actually going where they say they are going,” she said.

Emergency Services Minister Craig Crawford said the rescue demonstrated the vigilance required in bad weather.

“When we’ve got flash flooding through drains and creeks, people should take a bit of note where the water is and where their kids are,” he said.

“That could have been a terrible, terrible day for that family.”

In the past 24 hours the SES has responded to 400 call-outs, mainly in the southeast.

About 150mm of rain has fallen in Brisbane since 9am on Friday, and the drizzle is expected to continue early this week.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a flood watch in the Gulf country, as significant storm activity is forecast in the next few days.

When it's rained so hard there are people riding jetskis through your local park! #BNEstorm #qldweather #bigwet #flooding #minippiparklands #minippi @abcbrisbane @BOM_Qld pic.twitter.com/OI4i9mExRm

— Emma Kennedy (@reef_scientist) February 24, 2018