Footage: Boy trapped in deserted well found dead

A boy was found dead inside a deserted well in Baoding, north China's Hebei Province, Thursday night after firefighters made tireless efforts to save him over the past four days.

On Sunday morning, the six-year-old boy accidentally fell into the 40-meter-deep dry well, when he was helping his father harvest vegetables. Immediately after the incident, his father reached out for help on social media. Minutes later, rescuers and locals rushed to the site.

Over 500 firefighters and approximately 100 excavators were deployed in the rescue operation. As the well's diameter was only around 30 centimeters, it was impossible for any adult to get down into the well. That's when the firefighters started digging into the earth surrounding the area. But the rescue operation was hampered by the soft sand around the well. In order to prevent the soil from collapsing, measures were taken to support the area during the digging process.

Over the past few days, many locals have volunteered to help with the rescue work by donating money and preparing food for the rescuers.

The story is being widely shared and discussed across the Internet, and live-broadcasts from the scene are also being streamed.