before falling into a swimming pool on Thursday morning, the general manager of the company said yesterday.

Two-year-old Chantia Boyles remained in critical condition last night in the intensive care unit of King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

Mr. Ernest L. Pacheco said the telephone company had permission from one of The Spinning Wheel's owners to use the narrow wooden entrance onto Court Street while installing a new service to the nightclub.

"We had to have access through that gate to put our wires and cables underground,'' Mr. Pacheco told The Royal Gazette .

He declined further comment, citing an ongoing Police investigation.

Accompanied by a two-year-old playmate, Chantia was just a few doors away from her mother Beverly's apartment.

The two children were being watched by the owner of the nearby shop The Leather Man. He pulled Chantia from the jacuzzi-type pool beside the main swimming pool and delivered mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Bermuda Police gave CPR when they arrived just before 11.30 a.m.

The man said the girl looked "bluish'' when he pulled her from the cold water. His son Elijah, who was wet up to his waist, told him Chantia fell backwards into the pool.