A nine-year-old boy got an unexpected fright when he fell asleep inside Cape Town’s Central Library and woke up to find himself alone in the dark building after staff had gone home.
The young book lover had visited the library on Thursday afternoon while waiting for his father to finish his shift at a nearby barbershop in Cape Town’s East City district.
But after settling down among the books and enjoying the quiet surroundings, the boy fell asleep without realising how quickly the afternoon had passed.
Library staff closed the building at 4pm, unaware that the youngster was still inside.
Boy Wakes Up Alone Inside Closed Library
The boy eventually woke at about 6.45pm and discovered that the library in Parade Street was dark and deserted.
Unable to leave the building, the frightened child began shouting for help and banging on a window in an effort to alert people outside.
His cries were eventually heard by a Cape Town Central City Improvement District (CCID) Public Safety Officer who was patrolling in the area.
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Jurie Bruwer, head of CCID Safety and Security, said the officer immediately contacted the organisation’s 24-hour control room.
“One of our Public Safety Officers on duty near the library heard the commotion and notified the CCID’s 24-hour control room,” Bruwer said.
CCID night manager Bennie Jacobs and two other members of the organisation’s safety and security team were then sent to the library to assist.
One of the officers managed to contact a library staff member, who returned to the building and opened the doors.
Worried Father Waiting For His Son
While the boy was eventually freed, there was still another concern — his father had been waiting for him at the nearby barbershop.
The CCID team accompanied the youngster back to the closed business, where his worried father was waiting outside.
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“We accompanied the boy to the closed barbershop where the worried father was waiting outside for his son,” Bruwer said.
According to the CCID, the father had previously instructed his son not to visit the library after school because it closed at 4pm.
Instead, the boy was supposed to go directly to his father’s workplace and remain there until his shift ended.
The boy apparently had other plans.
According to the CCID, the youngster was drawn to the books and peaceful atmosphere inside the library and decided to spend his waiting time there instead.
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His decision resulted in an unexpected evening adventure before CCID officers helped reunite him with his father.
While the incident ended safely, it serves as a reminder of the importance of children following agreed arrangements when waiting for parents or guardians after school.
