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Alaya building collapse: Hero firefighters helped save eight lives
Team was also involved in the rescue operation during the last year’s Levana Suits fire in which three people died
When a disaster, be it natural or man-made, strikes, firefighters are some of the first officials to reach the scene. Despite knowing that things may not go their way, they push through to ensure minimal damage to life and property.
Proving their bravery when the five-storey Alaya Apartment on Wazir Hasan Road in Lucknow collapsed recently, fire personnel rescued five residents, including a six-year-old, who were stuck in the debris. They rescued three more persons in an overnight rescue operation carried out with NDRF and SDRF teams, said fire safety officer (FSO) of Hazratganj station RK Rawat. “Out of the 18 people stuck, seven pulled themselves out of the debris with the help of locals, and 10 were rescued by emergency officials. While two of them died during treatment, the body of one of the residents was recovered,” he added.
Firefighters who were actively involved in the rescue operation include Sanjay Kumar, Rohit Kumar, Sujeet Singh, Vijay Pal Singh, Shivam Kumar, Navneet Kumar, Mannu Kumar, and Nishant Rathee. Incidentally, this team was also involved in the rescue operation during the last year’s Levana Suits fire in which three people died.
According to the fire department, the building caved in around 6:45 pm and the nearest fire station received the information seven minutes later. Three fire tenders were immediately pressed into service and they, along with police officials, reached the scene seven-eight minutes later, the fire officials said.
“We were one of the first responders. It was only the fire team and police officials who were at the scene immediately,” said Lucknow’s chief fire officer Mangesh Kumar. “Five persons--Amir Haider (86), Abbas Haider (36), Musatafa Haider (6-year-old son of Abbas), Yusuf Haider (55) and Rubi Fathema (24)--were pulled out of the debris by firefighters. This was before the NDRF and SDRF teams reached there.”
Fire officials from six districts pressed into service
Realising the need for more manpower, teams from other fire stations in Lucknow and those in the five peripheral districts--Barabanki, Unnao, Raebareli, Faizabad and Sitapur—were also called for help.
Ruby Fathema was rescued by fireman Sanjay Kumar. “It was completely dark and I felt there was a lack of oxygen in the remains of the building. However, I gathered my strength and encouraged Ruby to push herself through the debris,” he added.
Those who were rescued in a joint effort by fire, SDRF and NDRF teams are Unnati Gupta (25), Md Wahid (24) and Mumtaaz (55). Uzma Haider (30) and Begum Haider (72) were declared dead at a hospital. The body of Shababa, a teacher, was recovered on January 27.
The seven persons who pulled themselves out to safety with the help of locals are Afreen Fathema (32), Md Khan (59), Nasreen (52), Shahjahan (50), Aloka Awasthi (30), Ranjana Awasthi (58) and Aslay Verma (70).
