Toddler nearly falls off cliff overlooking Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano

A toddler could have plummeted to his death on Christmas Day at Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano if not for his mother’s quick reaction, officials said.

The National Park Service said in a statement that the toddler wandered off from his family at the Kilauea Overlook and snuck past the barrier blocking onlookers from the volcano before running toward the 400-foot cliff edge.

“His mother, screaming, managed to grab him in the nick of time just a foot or so away from a fatal fall,” the NPS said. “Disaster was averted, and the shaken family departed.”

The park service urged visitors to stay on trail and out of closed areas and to keep their kids close by, especially when watching the volcano from viewpoints along Crater Rim Trail.

“Those who ignore the warnings, walk past closure signs, lose track of loved ones, and sneak into closed areas to get a closer look do so at great risk,” the NPS said in its news release.

“The hazards that coincide with an eruption are dangerous, and we have safety measures in place including closed areas, barriers, closure signs, and traffic management,” Park Superintendent Rhonda Loh said. “Your safety is our utmost concern, but we rely on everyone to recreate responsibility. National parks showcase nature’s splendor but they are not playgrounds.”

Kilauea began erupting again Monday and is in its second pause, the NPS said, adding that it can start erupting again at any time and toxic gas emissions are still high.

The volcano, in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island, has been erupting since 1983 and is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Lava spouted more than 200 feet when it began erupting Monday.

Before this month, its most recent eruptions were in June and September, said Ken Hon, head scientist with the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. Dozens of homes were destroyed after an eruption in 2018 that forced thousands to flee.