Lightning Actions of a Neighbor Saved an Elderly Man from Perishing in the Fire 0 10

The evening of a workday nearly ended in tragedy for a resident of a house in the Berzgale parish, reports the show Degpunktā (TV3). The elderly man noticed that a fire had started in the garage, and unable to escape due to mobility issues, he picked up the phone.

"He called the first person he found in his phone when he heard a crackling sound from the garage. That first person answered the call and called the neighbor. The neighbor called the firefighters — by the time everyone arrived, the firefighters also came," said the owner's son.

The successful communication between the first recipient of the call and the neighbor was complemented by the bravery of the neighbor himself. He ran into the building and saved the owner.

"Essentially, if the neighbor hadn’t answered the phone, hadn’t come, there would have been neither a house nor a dad," emphasized the owner's son.

While the neighbor protected the father, the firefighters worked to prevent further destruction of the building itself.

"Upon arrival at the scene, it was established that a one-story residential house, a garage, and a passenger car were on fire. The total area of the fire was 250 square meters," said Viktor Shchavinsky, commander of the Rezekne fire department.

During the rescue operations, there were no difficulties, and a total of fifteen firefighters managed to extinguish the fire in four hours. The neighbor's actions during the fire are an example of self-rescue, and the service urges others who find themselves in a similar situation to act with thoughtful logic rather than impulsively and recklessly.

"Always first call and report the fire. And assess your capabilities — whether a person can save the victim, provide assistance. It is necessary to evaluate whether one’s own life and health will be put at risk," clarified Shchavinsky.

The affected owner has already returned home and, together with the neighbor, friends, and relatives, is working on restoring the building. The burned car will have to be written off, and the biggest work lies ahead in the garage extension — that’s where the fire started. The evening before the fire, the elderly man was carrying ash from pellets from the stove and left it in the garage. Most likely, something did not burn completely.