“The flames were close, I pulled her out by force”: listening only to his courage, he rescued residents during a fire

Adil Haida in the fire truck. Midi Libre – DR

The events took place this Thursday, March 7, around 6:15 a.m., rue de Centrayragues, in the Aiguerelles district of Montpellier, when an apartment caught fire on the 5th and top floor. Adil Haida, a 48-year-old from Montpellier, triathlete licensed at the MAT, played the good Samaritan by evacuating everyone from the building. Testimony…

You have become a real hero in the neighborhood since Thursday morning…

(He laughs) People keep coming up to me to thank me for helping them. I only listened to my courage. I didn’t think about it. It was like a reflex, I had to do my duty as a citizen.

Tell us how you realized there was a fire ?

It was my daughter who woke me up when she heard a car honking for a long time. I live in the adjoining building. I got up quickly, put on some clothes and went. As part of the union council, I have the key that opens all the residences. I told myself that I had to go and help people who could be in danger. When I got downstairs, I saw the family whose apartment was on fire. I turned off the gas and went upstairs shouting that we had to evacuate, while banging on the doors.

And you weren't bothered by the fumes ?

Yes, when I got to the third floor, there was smoke everywhere. I took a long breath and went up to the 4th floor because I know the person who lives right next to the apartment that caught fire. She is a 70-year-old lady who has seven cats and birds. I knocked on the door but when she opened it, in her nightgown, there was a draft of air and we started to see flames coming out of the door# 39;neighboring apartment. I rushed her a little because she told me that she wanted to stay with her animals. But there we no longer had time to have fun. The flames were close. I gave her my jacket, took her hand and dragged her down the stairs.

Saving your animals

You kind of saved his life…

I sheltered her in any case. But when I reached the 3rd floor, she asked me to go back upstairs to close her front door in order to save her animals. Everything was black. I put my hood back on and I walked forward in apnea to close his door and then I strode back downstairs. And there, I came across a granny, standing, all alone, aged 80. She was confused. I took her hand too and we went downstairs. Except that in the rush, she fell to the ground because she couldn't walk well. I screamed and his son suddenly appeared. I scolded him a bit, telling him to get down quickly that the firefighters hadn't arrived yet and that we had to evacuate and take shelter.

And you took shelter too ?

No, I went back up the stairs to make sure there was no one else in the building and then I went into the next block to evacuate everyone. And then the firefighters arrived. They examined me. I started to spit up all black. I was having trouble breathing. They made me blow into a machine and told me that I had inhaled fumes and that they had to take me to the hospital. #39;hospital. I told them that I preferred to stay with the neighbors and if I didn't feel well I would come back and see them. Eventually, things got back to normal. I continued to help people. I called my wife to bring duvets and things and we brought three shocked families to our apartment. I would also like to salute the retirement home which has welcomed many people very well. That's for sure, it's a day I won't soon forget.