Le Parisien newspaper praised the quick reflexes of the man who was alerted to the drama by his young son to the drama. The son spotted the 18-month-old baby, who was playing alone with her young sisters, just before she fell.

As luck would have it, the hero was also a doctor and rapidly checked the girl to establish she was not injured before handing her on to paramedics. She was taken to the hospital for observation.

The child's parents were being questioned by police about why the children were left alone momentarily to play in the apartment.