Journalism of Courage
On November 20, as a polymer factory in Ludhiana collapsed after a fire, among the 16 killed were nine firemen. While Ajit Singh escaped, his father Raj Kumar (48), a sub fire officer, was among those killed.
Was your father an inspiration for joining this profession?
Since childhood I saw my father fighting fires and knew how dangerous his job was. Yes he was an inspiration, but it was the security of a government job that made me join. However, I was hired on contractual basis, for Rs 9,400 a month, and am still to be regularised.
Should nine deaths in one incident be a wake-up call?
These are the highest number of casualties in one incident that the department has seen. Now the government should realise what firefighters go through. I can’t imagine what would have happened if I too had died. My mother and wife would have died too. Who puts his life at stake for Rs 9,400 a month? There should be an increase in salaries. My father worked for 30 years without a safety suit or oxygen cylinders. He hid his burn injuries at home. Our safety must be taken care of. Then, there is political interference. Firefighters are forced to enter blazes even when we can see it is unsafe. On November 20 too, we were forced to go inside as the owner was politically influential. Our job should be left to us.
How has the incident affected the department?
We are scared, very, very scared. We had never imagined a fire could take away so many lives. Now, whenever I go to douse a fire, those scenes will haunt me. My father’s face will be in front of my eyes. Voices of my colleagues crying for help under the debris still echo in my ears. Now, if someone will tell me to go inside a building on fire, I won’t.
Does that mean you are thinking of quitting?
Yes. A government job isn’t more important than life. I will switch if there is some opportunity. And if my younger brother is given a job as compensation, we won’t let him join the Fire Department. He should be adjusted in some other department.
Do you think firemen in India don’t get the dignity they deserve?
Absolutely. As my father lay buried, no senior official or politician gave any assurance. No extraordinary efforts were made to pull out the firefighters alive. The government has announced Rs 10 lakh compensation, but is it going to bring back my father? Will someone remember him even for a few days after the 30 years he gave the department?
