A Firefighter Injured in Heavy Flood Persevering in Frontline Rescue

A Firefighter Injured in Heavy Flood Persevering in Frontline Rescue

被洪水卷走的消防员找到了！他瘸着腿仍在参与救援

"Ah, it's terribly dangerous!" A few days ago, a video went viral among the local residents in Xinmi of Zhengzhou city, Central China's Henan province. In the video, a firefighter was washed away when rescuing the people trapped in the muddy flood triggered by the torrential rain. People were worried very much about the firefighter in the video shot by the local residents.

“咦！咦！真危险！”近日，一段小视频刷爆郑州新密当地群众的朋友圈。视频中，强降雨导致山洪暴发，一名消防员涉水营救群众时，因水流湍急，该消防员在中途瞬间被洪水卷走，在浑浊的洪水中翻滚摸爬。这一幕惊险场景被周围群众用手机拍下，尽管没有显示最终的结果，但整个画面让人揪心。

A firefighter injured in heavy flood persevering in frontline rescue. [Photo/Screenshot from video posted online]

After watching the video, the reporter immediately contacted the provincial fire corps for the confirmation. Thankfully, the firefighter was rescued by grasping a piece of plastic pipe sticking out of the water when being washed away. Right now, he is still in the team of the rescue.

看到视频的同时，记者第一时间联系河南省消防救援总队，核实此事属实。让人宽心的是，该消防员被冲走后靠抓住路边的一截塑料管获救，目前仍在参与当地的抢险救援。

On the morning of July 27, the reporter interviewed the firefighter, who is called Fang Lingyuan, at Xinmi.

7月27日上午，记者赶到新密，找到了当事的消防员房灵渊。

Aged 46, Fang looked very thin but energetic. He told us his experience in a humorous way.

今年已经46岁的房灵渊，身材消瘦，但很有精神，谈话也颇有风趣。他给记者还原了当时的情况。

At 1:45 pm on July 20, the floodwaters washed out a concrete road in Xiazhuanghe community of Niudian town, Xinmi, leaving many people trapped. The fire brigade of Xinmi was in urgent need.

7月20日13时45分，新密市消防救援大队接到报警称，位于该市牛店镇下庄河社区的水泥道路遭河水拦腰冲断，现场有大量人员被困，急需消防救援力量前往处置。

In a rapid speed, Fang arrived at the site with a group of firefighters. The crowd were so worried, pointing at the opposite side of the strong current, where two people were trapped in a first-floor store and two in a car. The community's gas line was washed out by the floodwaters with a pungent smell in the air. The shabby buildings were also in danger of collapsing at any time. That situation was extremely critical.

房灵渊立即带领抢险人员到达现场，围观群众情绪激动，指着湍急水流的对面说，那里一楼门面房有两人被困，一辆停放在楼下的车里有两人被困。加上社区天然气管道被洪水冲断，现场弥漫刺鼻的味道，房屋建筑不牢固，随时有被冲塌的危险，情况十分危急。

Fang immediately worked with his partners to evacuate the area, arranged smoking and open flames prohibited, and set up an escape route for the trapped people.

房灵渊马上安排专人紧急疏散附近人员，严禁烟火，并立即搭建救援通道，营救被困人员。

The current at the site was fast flowing with a depth of about 3 meters. Besides, with gas leakage, large machinery cannot be used but a rope thrown across the strong current to the trapped people.

现场水流湍急，水深约3米，且现场燃气泄漏，不能采用易打火的大型机械展开救援。房灵渊组织人利用抛投器将绳索投送到对面，接应人员将绳索固定好。

"Since I had participated in water rescue training programs for many times and accumulated practical experience in flood fighting in 1998, I am very familiar with water rescue skills and equipped with necessary rescue equipment. Therefore, without any hesitation, I jumped into the water." To his surprise, Fang said, an accident occurred. Due to the strong current, his helmet was washed away and the safety belt was broken. After grasping the rope for a while with his hands, he was swept away. Fell into the water, Fang, with his rich experience, quickly calmed down, adjusted posture and tried to close to the edge of the current. Washed away for about 50 meters, he grasped a piece of plastic pipe from a factory exposed in the flood and climbed to the top for self-rescue. 

“考虑到自己曾多次参加水域救援培训，并有1998年抗洪的实战经验，对水域救援非常熟悉，穿戴好水域救援装备，就下水准备营救对面人员。”房灵渊说，但没想到意外出现了，因水流湍急，救援头盔一下被水冲走，保险腰带断裂，仅用双手坚持了一段时间后，就被汹涌的激流卷走。落水后，他凭着丰富的水域救援经验，迅速稳定情绪，调整姿势，尽力往水流边缘靠拢。房灵渊被冲出距离落水处大概50米处，被一厂房裸露出的一截塑料管缓冲了一下，他迅速抓住塑料管，攀爬到高处，得以自救。

On the afternoon of July 27, the reporter came to the site following with Fang. Although the floods have subsided, the houses and vehicles destroyed at the roadside can interpret how heavy the current was.

27日下午，记者跟随房灵渊来到事发现场，看到水已无踪迹，但路边冲毁的房屋、车辆可以说明当时的水大湍急。

Seeing the plastic pipe on the side of the road, Fang felt a bit scared after the event. "You see, there are lots of stones and steels there. How can you believe that I didn't even notice them at that time at all!"

摸着路边的塑料管，房灵渊有一丝后怕，他说：“你看这都是石头、钢铁，当时咋都没注意呢！”

It is reported that a total of 315 people has been transferred to the safe area with 65 trapped people rescued by Fang and his partners who are still working at the frontline.

据了解，房灵渊和战友们一直未休息，截至目前已转移群众315人，解救被困人员65人。（中文来源/大河报 翻译/赵汉青 海报/实习生王君艺 审校/焦丹）