People think we are superheroes, but we are humans, says a firefighter
Hyderabad: Risking their lives to save others, over 70 firefighters fought with thick smoke, crawling through the darkness, they broke walls, climbed ladders, and carried unconscious victims, hoping they were still alive. But inside the G+2 building at Gulzar Houz Chowrasta, tragedy had already struck.
Seventeen lives were lost in the early morning blaze on May 18. But behind the heartbreaking loss lies a story of bravery, duty, and emotional pain of the firefighters who shared their experiences while speaking to Deccan Chronicle.
“We drilled a hole to reach the first floor and carried people out using ladders and stretchers,” said District Fire Officer Thagaram Venkanna, who fell unconscious later in the day, after inhaling smoke. “Even with all the precautions, breathing apparatus, proximity suits, gloves, at times it becomes a do-or-die situation. We wish we were informed earlier. Maybe, some lives could’ve been saved.”
Thagaram Venkanna, who has 30 years of service in the department, said this was one of the most tragic scenes he has witnessed. “People don't know what to do during a fire. If they would have moved to the terrace, we could’ve rescued them through our ladders,” he said.
District Fire Officer A. Sreedas said, “It was a pathetic situation. When I reached, the fire was almost under control, but the smoke was so thick even after wearing our fire proximity suits we could sense that. I thought, if we are feeling this with all the protection, how did the people inside bear it?”
He further added, “the building has only one narrow staircase. If there was another, maybe they could’ve escaped. We tried our best, but still couldn’t save them. That hurts the most.”
Sharing his experience, Khaja Karim, District Fire Officer, Rangareddy, said, “It was a nightmare. I’ll never forget that scene where a mother lying against the wall was holding her two children. We had to crawl because of the smoke. A baby’s nose was bleeding. We pulled them all out and shifted them to ambulances, but none of them survived. That pain is beyond words.”
Despite being trained for such situations, the firefighters admitted that real-life scenes are emotionally heavier. “Every fire is a new challenge. We learn from every case,” said Mirza Karamatullah Baig, Leading Fireman, Fire Station Salarjung Museum.
They used breathing apparatus sets that lasted around 30-45 minutes, each weighing 5–6 kgs. “It’s heavy and painful, but that’s what we are trained to do. In terms of saving lives, we don’t feel the weight much,” said Thagaram Venkanna.
Khaja Karim said, “People think we are superheroes, but we are humans too. In that smoke, sometimes we can’t do anything.”
The firefighters added that criticism often comes their way. “Even when we do our best, people say negative things. It hurts, because we didn’t feel like we weren’t just saving strangers, we felt like we were saving our own family members.”
“People expect us to be superheroes. But we’re humans too. We feel the pain. We couldn’t sleep last night,” said Khaja Karim.
“My family had been calling me constantly, after watching the news. But when there’s a fire, saving lives comes first,” said Mirza Karamatullah Baig. Though their family members might fear for their lives, the firefighters say, they stand and support them like warriors.
Despite the trauma, the firefighters stand tall. “When others run away from fire, we run into it,” they said with pride and further claimed, “We couldn’t save lives this time, but we’ll never stop trying.”
