595. A Child in a Well

Shabbos 2:17

If a child falls into a pit on Shabbos, one may remove a clump of dirt to retrieve him even though doing so creates a step. If a child gets locked in a room, one may break down the door even though he creates pieces of wood that are fit to be used for labor. If a fire breaks out on Shabbos and a person is inside the building, we may extinguish the fire to save him even though one creates a path; whoever acts quickly to save the one endangered is praiseworthy. We do not need to get permission from an authority in any case where a person’s life is endangered.

Shabbos 2:18                                                                

If there’s an avalanche on Shabbos and there is a doubt as to whether a person may be trapped under it, the debris may be removed. If the person is found still alive but crushed so badly that it would be impossible for him to survive, the avalanche may still be cleared and the person removed so that he may live as long as possible.