On the evening of 31/8, Chen was organizing goods in her freezer warehouse in Hunan. Due to the humid weather causing condensation on the floor, she instinctively closed the door tightly to prevent the cardboard boxes from getting wet. When she tried to leave, she realized the door was stuck and the internal switch was jammed.

Without her phone and wearing only a thin shirt and shorts, Chen quickly began experiencing hypothermia.

The 20-square-meter freezer was well-insulated and rarely visited. Chen pounded on the door with her hands and feet, then used a 15 kg box to try and break free. When she became exhausted, she took off her shoes and continued hitting the door in a desperate attempt to get someone's attention.

"At that moment, all I could think about were my two children, one in middle school and the other only 5 years old," she said.

Chen, the owner of a frozen warehouse in Hunan, thanks delivery driver Liu Xu for saving her in early September. Photo: Sina

Chen, the owner of a frozen warehouse in Hunan, thanks delivery driver Liu Xu for saving her in early September. Photo: Sina

Over 20 minutes later, Liu Xu, a delivery driver from a nearby station, heard the noise. Due to his profession, Liu is particularly attuned to his surroundings for safety reasons. "I only heard faint cries for help when I put my ear to the freezer door," he said.

Liu immediately opened the door and found Chen huddled near the entrance, pale, with blue lips, and shivering uncontrollably. It took her almost two hours to recover after being rescued.

Deeply grateful, Chen gave Liu a commemorative flag, flowers, a cash gift, food, and is offering him company shares. She is also renovating the warehouse door system to prevent similar incidents.

"It was just a small act," Liu said. "If I encounter someone else in need, I will still help."

Safety experts advise that if trapped in a freezer, one should remain calm, limit movement to conserve oxygen, curl up to reduce heat loss, use any available plastic or cardboard for insulation, and knock loudly on the door to attract attention. Businesses should regularly inspect equipment, install internal alarms, and implement mechanisms to prevent accidental lock-ins.

Bao Nhien (Sina/SCMP)