A newborn showing signs of cerebral hemorrhage was safely transported to a hospital in time, defying the extreme traffic congestion during rush hour in Busan, Friday.

The baby was born at a hospital in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang region, which is an hour north from Busan. As the baby showed signs of a possible fracture or cerebral hemorrhage, the baby’s father, surnamed Shin, drove his own car to get to a bigger hospital in Busan. 

“The hospital in Yangsan did not have an available ambulance at the time,” said the 29-year-old Shin, explaining why he had to use his own car in an emergency situation. “Thanks to the police and the kind people, we were able to make it to the hospital.”

When Shin hit traffic at the Baekyang tunnel in Sasang-gu, Busan, he called the police for help. Police officer Kim Geun-suk, who arrived at the scene in his patrol car, concluded that it would be faster to transport the baby himself than wait for the ambulance.

Around 7 p.m. on Friday, the tunnel was filled with back-to-back cars standing still. But the cars slowly moved to the side areas and made way for the siren-blasting police car to sprint forward along the centerline.

The baby arrived safely at the hospital in 10 minutes. Although a closer inspection is needed, the baby is currently in a stable condition, according to the medical staff.

(khnews@heraldcorp.com)