The timely intervention of passers-by saved a schoolgirl who fell into a storm drain at Alajo, a suburb of Accra, on Tuesday May 18.

Sandra Armah had just returned from school, changed from her uniform into mufti and was playing around the edge of the storm drain when she suddenly slipped into the drain.

According to her father, a mechanic, who only gave his name as James, Sandra was standing on their compound which is close to the storm drain. He suddenly heard people screaming so he rushed to where Sandra was standing only to see her in the drain. James said he saw his daughter struggling and gasping for breath.

James and his colleagues jumped into the drain and rescued her. They later poured some water on the girl and sent her to the nearby health facility.

Sandra's rescue has been described by residents as miraculous because the usually high water level in the drain should have swept her away.

The Alajo storm drain, which collects water from Madina, Kwabenya, Pokuasi and its environs, sometimes overflows its banks and causes floods in the Alajo vicinity.