A Dangerous Experiment at Heights: Seven Youths Turn a Construction Site into an Adrenaline Platform
On September 2nd, at approximately 8:00 PM, the tranquility of a central boulevard was shattered by an extremely risky incident. A group of seven youths, apparently prepared for their undertaking, snuck onto the construction site of the tallest building in the area. According to information provided by the commissioning company, the youths were armed with a pair of shears, which they used to cut through the sheet metal fence, gaining access to the site.
Drama at a Height: A Rescue Operation in the Heart of the City
The dramatic events unfolded quickly but went unnoticed by the construction site's security. The youths managed to climb almost to the very top of the building. Their ages ranged from 13 to 17—the youngest was 13, three were 15, two were 16, and one was 17. While climbing, according to unofficial information, they started live-streaming their adventure on social media. This action proved to be key to the outcome. It is presumed that the call to emergency number 112 was made by a viewer who noticed the danger and reported that children were climbing the construction crane.
Intervention of Authorities and the Full Scale of the Incident Uncovered
Teams from the Sofia Directorate of Internal Affairs (SDIA) were immediately dispatched to the scene. The director of the SDIA, Lyubomir Nikolov, confirmed the incident, stating:
"Our teams on site indeed found two individuals who had already descended from the crane and three who were still sitting at a very high altitude from the ground"After the first five youths were brought to safety, they told law enforcement officers that two more of their friends had remained up there. Fear had paralyzed them, and they didn't dare to come down on their own. Due to the complicated situation, alpinists were also called for help. Lyubomir Nikolov explained to the media:
"Alpinists were called to the scene to help the children. We determined that there are no children in danger at the present moment. We searched the entire building to make sure there were no other children at risk"
Motives and Consequences: A Repeat Incident and Parental Responsibility
Even though the construction site is secured with a fence, video surveillance, and security guards, similar incidents are not unprecedented. One of the security guards shared that this is not the first time something like this has happened. His colleague, who was on duty the night of the incident, failed to spot the youths on the cameras.
After being brought down from the height, the youths were taken to the Seventh Regional Police Station along with their parents. The motives for their risky behavior became clear from the statement of the SDIA director:
"It is notable that some of the parents were aware of their activity, naturally did not support it, but were unable to intervene to stop this activity. They do it for the adrenaline and want to take some more interesting pictures"Such irresponsible behavior could have serious consequences for their guardians, as the parents are expected to likely be fined.