'Heroes without capes' rush into danger to save people

(Dan Tri) - In dangerous situations, everyday heroes do not think about their own safety but sacrifice themselves to save many lives.

Dong Van Tuan used a sledgehammer to break down a wall to save a fire victim, Nguyen Dang Van rushed into the scene of the fire to save 9 people, Nguyen Ngoc Manh caught a baby falling from the 12th floor with his bare hands... In the eyes of many people, they are "heroes without capes", brave and full of humanity.

4 heroes climb ladders, break walls to save people

In the early morning of May 24, a land area of over 200 square meters with two blocks of houses with many tenants located deep in alley 119 Trung Kinh (Cau Giay district, Hanoi) caught fire fiercely. While having a late meal in a rented room two houses away from the fire, Dong Van Tuan (born in 2003, from Truc Ninh, Nam Dinh) - a technology driver - rushed out when he heard the screams of fire and the strong smell of black smoke. Rushing to the scene, seeing someone reaching out to call for help from the second floor window, Tuan and everyone else quickly found a ladder and a hammer to climb up and break the wall. The young man held onto the iron bar of the window with one hand, and with the other hand held a hammer as big as his hand and swung it continuously.

Những anh hùng không áo choàng lao vào nguy hiểm để cứu người - 1 — The image of Dong Van Tuan, shirtless, holding onto the window with one hand and using a hammer to break the wall to save a person, made many people admire him (Photo: Cut from video).

When Tuan was exhausted, Pham Quoc Luat (born in 1989, from Duc Tho, Ha Tinh) - an aluminum and glass worker and a motorbike taxi driver - climbed up to replace him, hammering the last blows until the wall was broken enough to bring the four victims trapped inside out. During that process, student Hoang Anh Tuan (born in 2003, from Nghia Hung, Nam Dinh) - who had participated in military service - stood below holding the ladder, letting bricks and stones fall on his head. Mr. Nguyen Kim Long (Hanoi) was also on duty from the beginning and was the one who got the hammer, gave the rope ladder to Dong Van Tuan, and helped bring the victims out. On the afternoon of May 25, the People's Committee of Cau Giay district decided to suddenly reward the group of heroes with outstanding achievements in the rescue work of the fire at the motel in Trung Kinh. On social networks, images and articles about their brave actions were also continuously spread and praised.

Những anh hùng không áo choàng lao vào nguy hiểm để cứu người - 2 — Four heroes Hoang Anh Tuan, Dong Van Tuan, Pham Quoc Luat and Nguyen Kim Long were rewarded for their brave actions (Photo: Van Nhi).

Shipper rushed into fire to save 9 people

Nearly a year has passed, but the horrifying memory of the fire that occurred at a 9-storey mini apartment building in alley 29, Khuong Ha street (Thanh Xuan district, Hanoi) on the night of September 12, early morning of September 13, 2023, which took 56 lives, still haunts many people. At that time, having just finished the last delivery of the day, Nguyen Dang Van (born in 1993, from Que Vo, Bac Ninh) received a call from a relative, reporting that the apartment building where his sister's family lived was on fire. The male shipper (delivery person) immediately drove to the scene. There, the fire was basically extinguished, and the authorities were searching for the trapped victims. Too impatient, Van put on a helmet, covered himself tightly with a mask, took a hammer with the police officers and went inside. He searched the rooms from the first floor to the ninth floor, but could not find his sister and the children, but was able to get 9 residents out.

Những anh hùng không áo choàng lao vào nguy hiểm để cứu người - 3 — A young man from Bac Ninh with a dirty face and exhaustion after participating in fire rescue (Photo: Ngoc Hai).

After leaving the fire, Van learned that four of his relatives had escaped safely by jumping onto the rooftop of a neighboring house. His eldest niece was missing and was later confirmed to be among the dead. The image of Nguyen Dang Van walking out of the fire with a dirty face moved and impressed many people. Although he was praised everywhere, he only humbly said: "Don't call me a hero." On September 20, 2023, Dang Van was awarded a certificate of merit by the Bac Ninh Provincial Youth Union for his brave actions.

Driver uses bare hands to catch girl falling from 12th floor

On the afternoon of February 28, 2021, baby NPH (then 3 years old) suddenly crawled from inside the house to the railing on the 12th floor of building 60B Nguyen Huy Tuong, Thanh Xuan district, Hanoi. Then, the baby climbed over the railing and hung himself outside. At that time, Nguyen Ngoc Manh (born in 1990, in Dong Anh district, Hanoi) - a truck driver - was resting in the car after a delivery when he suddenly heard a cry for help. Running out of the car and looking up, Manh saw the baby girl hanging by one hand high up. Without thinking further, he immediately jumped off the wall and onto the corrugated iron roof 2 meters above the ground in the yard of the building. Due to the rain, Ngoc Manh slipped and fell. Before the male driver could stand up, the baby girl fell from the high floor. He stretched out his arms and luckily caught the baby's head with his right hand. The whole incident only lasted a short minute.

Những anh hùng không áo choàng lao vào nguy hiểm để cứu người - 4 — Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Manh was moved when he saved the baby (Photo: NVCC, Cut from video).

Still shaking, Manh picked up the baby and handed it to the building security guard to take him to the emergency room. Fortunately, the victim only suffered minor injuries. When he got home, he quickly hugged his two young daughters and burst into tears. In the following days, Manh's phone continuously received calls and text messages from many unknown numbers. Many people expressed their admiration, calling him a hero or a superhero, but he thought those titles were too noble because anyone in such a dangerous situation would act similarly. Afterwards, representatives of the Hanoi People's Committee, the Hanoi Youth Union, and the Dong Anh District People's Committee were present at Manh's house in Dong Anh to present him with a certificate of merit and send him words of encouragement.

The silent heroes

In the particularly serious fire on Trung Kinh Street (Hanoi) in the early morning of May 24, Pham Quoc Viet - Captain of the FAS Angel rescue team - and his teammates arrived at the scene only about 20 minutes after the fire broke out. Assessing the situation that many victims were trapped inside, he immediately mobilized the entire team to come here to rescue. When the fire was basically under control, FAS Angel members coordinated with the authorities to search and rescue victims, mark the dead, and take the unfortunate victims to the funeral home... Having participated in many support and first aid work for victims, when witnessing the heartbreaking scene before his eyes, Viet could not help but feel heartbroken. "The house has 12 rented rooms but 14 people died, which is a very large number, extremely painful," he said.

Những anh hùng không áo choàng lao vào nguy hiểm để cứu người - 5 — Members of the FAS Angel rescue team worked all night to support the authorities and the Fire Police in fighting the recent fire (Photo: Pham Quoc Viet).

In the mini apartment fire in Khuong Ha Street in 2021, Pham Quoc Viet's FAS Angle rescue team also participated in the rescue work, rescuing 12 people. Since then, the silent orange heroes have become more widely known. Viet established the free first aid and rescue team FAS Anglel in September 2019 with only 5 members. To date, the team has grown to dozens of members and volunteers. In 2023, the team supported and provided first aid to nearly 3,000 victims, opened a rescue station providing vehicle repair and accident rescue services. Thanks to his brave actions in saving people and property in the mini apartment fire in Khuong Ha, Pham Quoc Viet was honored to receive the Medal of Courage from the President. In early December last year, he received the 2023 National Volunteer Award from the Central Youth Union. Also in December 2023, the FAS Angel first aid support team was honored in the inspirational category within the framework of the Human Act Prize 2023.