Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A high-rise apartment at Jal Vihar Colony in Chunabhatti, Bhopal, caught fire. No sooner did the firefighters got the information, they rushed to the spot. A pregnant woman standing behind the window of her kitchen was crying for help. In the blink of an eye, he climbed the 40-foot-high building with the help of rope, broke the window and rescued her.
There are many such stories that fire-fighters script daily. They are real-life heroes who perform reel-life acts. Free Press spoke to some firefighters on the eve of International Firefighters' Day to know the risks they take to save human lives. Excerpts:
Blaze in Mecca
I have been working in BMC firefighting department for last 23 years. We have to remain alert 24X7. In 1997, I went for Haj. At the time, blaze broke out in Mecca and I helped rescue many pilgrims. It was then I decided to become a firefighter. I was part of rescue operations during earthquake in Bhuj while I was training in Vadodara. Our first priority is to save humans. Property comes next. We have trained around 5.50 lakh people so far. -Sajid Khan, Pulbogda fire station incharge.
Only one holiday a year
When you save life of a person, it is a great feeling. Whether you get recognition for it or not is irrelevant. We get holidays only once a year - Hindu staffers on Holi and Muslim staffers on Eid. We saved many lives including 50 residents of Indus Empire building in the city who were stuck during flood in 2021. I have also saved a pigeon who was trapped on a 40-foot tree. We are also on duty during Durga and Ganesh immersions. More than 99% of fire accidents are due to human error. -Pankaj Khare, Kolar fire station incharge
‘Don’t know whether we’ll return alive’
It is quite a challenging and risky job. "Jaan hatheli per rakh kar jate hain." The time for going to the office is fixed but the time to return home is uncertain. Sometimes, it is doubtful whether we return home alive. I have been in the profession for 14 years because of passion. My father Akthar Ali was a fire officer. I have saved many lives including 34 people in the kitchen of a marriage hall located near Lalghati. We save others' lives but our future is not secure as we work on nominal salaries without insurance and facilities. - Yasir Ali, fireman, BMC
