9 'Instant Human Ladder' Members Who Saved a Family at a Fire Scene in France

Citizens forming a human ladder to assist in the rescue after a fire broke out in an apartment in France. Photo by Facebook Capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] When a fire broke out in an apartment in Nantes, France, a scene where citizens spontaneously formed a "human ladder" to rescue a family was revealed, touching many hearts.

The French media outlet BFMTV reported on the fire that occurred on the 28th of last month (local time) at an apartment building in the Nantes area of France. On the third floor of the building where the fire broke out, a six-month-old baby and the parents were trapped. As the flames continued, the parents shouted out the window requesting rescue. However, due to the flames and smoke, it was difficult to enter the building.

In response, citizens quickly formed a human ladder. With no rescue equipment available, they held onto the apartment balcony railing and created a human ladder. The woman inside the building stepped on their shoulders and safely exited the building. The baby, wrapped in a blanket, was thrown onto a mattress that had been laid out in advance and rescued, and the man also escaped from the building. The quick response of the citizens saved precious lives.

Local firefighters stated that nine people were rescued from the fire and taken to the hospital, and none of them sustained serious injuries. The rescued family was moved to the hospital for health checkups and is recovering in a stable condition, according to the British media outlet BBC on the 31st (local time).

One citizen who participated in the rescue told BFMTV in an interview, "The parents were on the verge of suffocation, and deciding to throw the baby was an unavoidable last resort," sharing the urgency of the situation at that time.

Meanwhile, local resident Kenza Zekkar explained that although she called the fire department, the situation seemed so urgent that she immediately formed a team on the spot to rescue the family. She also told BBC that among the nine people who participated in the rescue, three were immigrants, and she hopes they will be provided with legal residency permits and housing solutions.

As this story became known, an online petition was launched calling for recognition of their legal residency and for President Emmanuel Macron to respect and acknowledge the heroes of Botti?re.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.