A two‑year‑old girl was injured while playing in a playground in Shakhtersk, in the Sakhalin region, prompting coverage by Uglegorsk News on their Telegram channel. The incident unfolded in the courtyard area of a residential block, where the child’s finger slipped into a narrow tube as she rode a carousel. The moment the ride began to spin, the girl’s hand became trapped, leading to a rapid sequence of injuries that required medical attention and left her thumb nail severed along with a noticeable laceration and a significant bruise.
Witnesses described a tense scene as the carousel powered up and the finger disappeared into the tube. Medical workers arrived soon after, stabilizing the girl and providing care on site before transferring her to a hospital for further treatment. Doctors confirmed the damage included a complete severing of the nail on the thumb, with additional soft tissue injuries that will require follow up care and monitoring during healing. The family is cooperating with medical staff to ensure proper recovery and to manage pain and swelling as the injury heals.
The girl’s mother spoke of the incident with palpable concern, underscoring that similar accidents have happened previously on the same carousel. She said the child has used the equipment before without incident, which makes the current injury particularly alarming. According to her account, neighbors and other parents have raised safety concerns about the playground in the past, yet efforts to address potential hazards have not produced visible improvements. She stressed that the rapid motion of the carousel, combined with the design of the narrow entry point, appears to have created a risk for small children who might not yet have full awareness of safe play practices.
Local authorities were contacted as soon as the accident became known. Officials reportedly told residents that the playground did not exist in the official records, a situation which complicates oversight and maintenance decisions. Because no officially documented playground was listed in the registry, the municipal administration indicated it could not proceed with repairs or removals based on the available paperwork. This discrepancy has drawn scrutiny from families and community advocates who argue that safety should not be contingent on bureaucratic classifications. In response to the incident, prosecutors announced that they would review the area to determine responsibility and to assess whether safety standards were being met in the vicinity of the play equipment.
In addition to the Shakhtersk case, the region has seen other incidents that highlight the importance of rigorous playground safety. Earlier reports noted a separate incident in which a fifth grader in the Moscow region sustained finger injuries at a school, prompting discussions about equipment design, supervision, and preventive measures in public spaces used by children. Experts emphasize that proper maintenance, clear signage, age‑appropriate design, and prompt reporting mechanisms are essential for reducing the risk of similar injuries. Community leaders and safety advocates call for a comprehensive review of playgrounds across neighborhoods to ensure that equipment meets current safety standards and that any hazards are addressed promptly. Residents hope that the ongoing investigation will lead to concrete improvements and a clearer process for reporting and repairing potentially dangerous playground sites, irrespective of administrative classifications.