Poland reports child deaths and injuries in farm accidents involving electric scooters and harvest machinery

In early August, two separate incidents in central Poland resulted in serious injuries to children during agricultural work. In the village of Sypnie, an 11‑year‑old boy riding an electric scooter was struck by a combine harvester and died despite wearing a helmet; a 16‑year‑old was later hit by a car in nearby Zakulin. Prosecutors have charged the combine driver with intentional homicide.

On the same day, two further accidents occurred on farms in the Sokołów and Łosice regions. A four‑year‑old was buried in grain while it was being unloaded in Rytle Olechnach and was rescued by emergency services, while a five‑year‑old suffered severe leg injuries after her foot became trapped in a grain‑feeding mechanism in a silo in Łosice County. Both children were air‑lifted to hospitals. Police have urged farmers to keep children away from operating machinery and to secure work areas.