When a survivor met her rescuer
Jerina Tan was a receptionist at the Hotel New World when it collapsed
on 15 March 1986. Both her legs were pinned, she was scared and crying.
Firefighter Ali Ismail found her when he crawled into a hole in the debris. With his colleagues, Ali worked on freeing Jerina’s left leg. Ali recalled: “After about 7 hours, the medical officer wanted to amputate her leg. But he gave me another 30 minutes to try and rescue her.”
Thirty minutes passed but Ali was not ready to give up. Despite his exhaustion, he was determined to save her. Finally he was able to set Jerina free.
It was only 30 years later that Jerina met Ali again and thanked him. When asked about what made him brave enough to go inside a dark hole to save her, he said: “It’s a duty... As a rescuer, I need to rescue people.”
Firefighter Ali Ismail found her when he crawled into a hole in the debris. With his colleagues, Ali worked on freeing Jerina’s left leg. Ali recalled: “After about 7 hours, the medical officer wanted to amputate her leg. But he gave me another 30 minutes to try and rescue her.”
Thirty minutes passed but Ali was not ready to give up. Despite his exhaustion, he was determined to save her. Finally he was able to set Jerina free.
It was only 30 years later that Jerina met Ali again and thanked him. When asked about what made him brave enough to go inside a dark hole to save her, he said: “It’s a duty... As a rescuer, I need to rescue people.”