Paramedics and police were unable to lift a 200kg man in Nanjing, in China's Jiangsu province, after he fell and injured himself while showering last Saturday (June 23).

Due to his weight, size and the narrowness of the corridors, more than a dozen firemen and volunteers had to be called upon to help, reported China news outlet People.cn.

He was finally moved to an ambulance after 3½ hours with the help of several volunteer groups, including the non-profit Blue Sky Rescue, a search-and-rescue group that had helped out in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.

At about 8.15pm, a man known only as Zhu called the police after his 31-year-old son fell and was stuck in a gap between their home's toilet and wall. He was screaming in severe pain and officers had to dismantle the toilet bowl.

When found, Mr Zhu's son was bleeding from the testicles, and had to be treated before he was moved by reinforced ropes and a heavy-duty stretcher down three flights of stairs. He was sent to the First Hospital of Nanjing for treatment.

According to Mr Zhu, his son has not been out of the home for two years and has put on more than 60kg in the last few years.