Touching firefighter photo goes viral｜Taiwan News
On Aug. 31, a nine-decade old building in Chiayi’s Puzi City, and nine adjacent residential properties burned down in flames. The site once housed the famous Rong-chang Theater. It took almost three hours, and 22 fire trucks to put out the flames. A photo of a firefighter collapsing onto the street outside, cooling down with water from a hose was posted online. Many people were moved by the picture which revealed the challenges faced by local fire department branches.
Rong-chang Theater in Chiayi’s Puzi City was once the largest theater in South East Asia. No more. A fire on Aug. 31 burnt down the whole vacant theater and nine adjacent buildings. It took almost three hours to put out the fire, leaving firefighters exhausted, overheated and dehydrated.
Local resident
It was really hot, even for us behind closed doors across the street. They had to cut open the steel shutter door and get really close to the flames. It was really a matter of life or death.
The firefighter in the picture did not even have time to remove the heavy gear, before collapsing onto the street on his knees. He’s pictured cooling down with water from a hose. After the picture was posted online, comments poured in, commending the firefighters for their heroic efforts.
Tsai Shao-wen
Firefighter
After exiting the scene of a fire, we’re severely dehydrated and exhausted. It’s usually like this when we work at a disaster. It’s just that someone happened to take a picture that day, showing people how it is.
The firefighter pictured is Tsai Shao-wen, who heads the local fire department branch. Humble in demeanor, he told us that it’s a firefighter’s job to put out the flames, but revealed that local branches across the country are in fact, currently understaffed.
Tsai Shao-wen
Firefighter
Local branches barely have enough staff. The frontline firefighters are taken care of by the logistics team, and if logistics are understaffed, we can’t be sufficiently equipped for the job.
Local resident
At the fire scene there are still ways for civilians to help out, you can bring firefighters water, food, or give them a place to sit and rest.
It’s a matter of life or death for firefighters working on a fire. Netizens urged the central government to upgrade firefighting equipment, after the photo went viral.
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