Firefighters help evacuate the victims from the fire at the mini apartment complex on Hà Nội's Khương Hạ Street on September 13. VNA/VNS Photo Phạm Kiên

By Lê Phú & Phương Mai

HÀ NỘI – It has been nearly a month since the tragic fire at the mini apartment complex on Hà Nội's Khương Hạ Street.

For Nguyễn Quốc Trung and Nguyễn Hữu Nam, the young firefighters from the Firefighting and Rescue Team of the Thanh Xuân District’s Police Department, this mission is something they cannot forget.

At 11:30 pm on 12 September 2023, the alarm sounded at the Firefighting and Rescue Team of the Thanh Xuân District’s Police Department. In just 90 seconds, the team members rushed out of their vehicles. After precisely five minutes, the fire truck arrived at the scene of the fire at the mini apartment on Khương Hạ Street.

Trung recalled: "From a distance, we could see a thick column of black smoke in the sky. When we arrived, we were met with a narrow alley stretching several hundred metres. Without hesitation, we deployed our water hoses and advanced. We knew there were people trapped inside, and our team was determined to rescue them as quickly as possible."

However, the scene left the young firefighters perplexed. The fire was raging inside the multi-storey building, with glass on all sides. The flames originated from the ground floor with hundreds of various vehicles. The entire building resembled a furnace. They needed a plan to extinguish the fire as quickly as possible.

Trung recalled the chaotic scene at that moment. On the upper floors, there were cries for help, while the residents below tried to prevent people from jumping.

Many wanted to rush in to rescue their loved ones trapped inside.

“We had to stop them. Everyone wanted to help, but without a clear understanding of the terrain and a safe plan, no one was allowed to take risks," he said.

But those who were trapped risked their own lives to escape the fire. A woman jumped from the building. Her body seemed almost paralysed upon impact with the ground. She tried to open her eyes to look at him.

“After a few seconds of being stunned by the unexpected event, I regained my composure and, with my team, moved her away from the fire. At the same time, we asked the residents to call their loved ones above to discourage them from taking similar rash actions," he said.

But the flames seemed unbearable for those trapped. Two more people jumped. Shortly after, a young child, around 4-5 years old, tried to escape in a similar manner.

"Watching the tiny body hit the ground with bloodstains was painful and haunting," Trung recalled, unable to hold back his tears.

No time to fear

Nguyễn Hữu Nam, another firefighter from the Thanh Xuân District’s Firefighting and Rescue Team, said he would never forget that challenging night.

Initially, the firefighting team deployed water hoses to approach the scene. However, given it was a parking area with a lot of fuel and electricity, the team swiftly switched to using foam.

Shortly after, the fire subsided, and the firefighting team advanced further inside, but they were forced to retreat when they encountered an obstacle on the staircase. The fire roared back, and the fourth floor was engulfed in flames.

Soon, additional support units arrived and began using foam on two floors while spraying water to cool the back of the building and rescue those trapped on the upper floors.

"The fire was too intense, and our thermal insulation gear was insufficient. We had no choice but to spray water for cooling and enter from the back. Our hands and feet burned when touching the walls and equipment. The hot air fogged up our protective visors,” Nam recalled.

“The atmosphere was chaotic and perilous, but we didn't have time for fear. We solely focused on saving as many people as possible," he said.

Two firefighters, Nguyễn Quốc Trung (left) and Nguyễn Hữu Nam prepare firefighting equipment. VNA/VNS Photo

Nam’s firefighter team took turns, one after the other, rushing into the blaze until the mission was completed.

After the fire, Trung had to be hospitalised due to smoke inhalation, and he still suffers from nighttime coughing.

"Every firefighter in that situation would have acted like me. I just happened to get injured first. I regret not being able to stay and save more people," he said.

For firefighters, physical wounds heal, but the cries for help, the pleading looks, and the lifeless bodies remain, haunting their minds for a long time.

After each fire incident, the strength that enables these firefighters to overcome these harrowing memories is the lives they save.

"When the victims are brought out from the scene and they're still breathing, their eyes open, and they can hear us speak, that's the ultimate happiness," Trung confided.

"Every time we save a life, we feel fortunate that we arrived just in time. It motivates us to rush into the flames, search for, and save more people," Nam added.

These firefighters are often hailed as heroes for their spirit of readiness, fearlessness, and self-sacrifice, even in times of peace. With every alarm bell that rings, they face danger, race against time, and strive to save lives, including their own and those of their colleagues.

Their duties extend beyond firefighting, encompassing tasks like rescuing people trapped in elevators or responding to traffic accidents.

A firefighter from the Thanh Xuân District’s Firefighting and Rescue Team has finished his mission on September 13. VNA/VNS Photo

Ultimate sacrifice

In the early days of October, beneath the 'People's Police Serving the People' monument in Hà Nội, people quietly placed flowers as a token of gratitude to fallen firefighters who sacrificed their lives while on duty.

Three soldiers from the Cầu Giấy District’s Firefighting and Rescue Team died while battling a devastating fire at a karaoke bar in Cầu Giấy District on 1 August 2022. Lieutenant Colonel Đặng Anh Quân, Captain Đỗ Đức Việt, and Sergeant Nguyễn Đình Phúc managed to save eight people before the building collapsed. They were trapped while returning to the scene to continue the search for victims.

Captain Phạm Phi Long from the HCM City Police Department died in a house fire in Bình Tân District on 7 September 2017. Lieutenant Bùi Minh Quý from the Gia Lai Provincial Police Department was swept away by floods while rescuing trapped residents in An Khê Town on 3 March 2018. They are among many fallen heroes who gave their lives for the safety of the people.

Standing on the brink of life, firefighters have no choice but to follow the orders of their hearts and their courage.

A firefighter was injured while battling the fire on Hà Nội's Khương Hạ Street. VNA/VNS Photo

Each fallen soldier is a loss for the entire force. That's what Lieutenant Colonel Nguyễn Tiến Dũng, deputy head of Thanh Xuân District’s Firefighting and Rescue Team, said to his team members.

"We remind ourselves to come back complete, and no one is allowed to be missing," he said.

Sharing about their private lives, the firefighters said the nature of their work involved constant and frequent emergency missions, with danger always lurking.

Some chose to keep their missions hidden from their families to spare them worry, while others hesitated to think about finding life partners. – VNS