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Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, January 25
For displaying courage of the highest order and making the supreme sacrifice in his attempt to contain a fire that had broken out in a Chandigarh building, Leading Hand Fireman (LHF) Ravinder Kumar, who was on the posted strength of N0.3 Base Repair Depot, Chandigarh, has been posthumously conferred the Vayu Sena Medal for gallantry.
On June 8, 2014, at 7.50 pm, an emergency fire call was received by the air force from the civilian fire station in Sector 17 Chandigarh. Ravinder, who was off duty, was recalled from home to join the fire fighting team at the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology.
The three-storey building was completely engulfed by fire, making it increasingly difficult for the firemen to douse the raging flames. Valuable research records and costly equipment were at stake. Until this stage, all the efforts to douse the fire were made from outside the building and there was a general reluctance to enter the building to extinguish the fire at the core.
Assessing the situation correctly and on his own initiative, Ravinderclimbed on the first floor without caring for his personal safety to fight the fire from inside the building.
Encouraged by his courageous initiative, other firefighters started following him.
While his firefighting effort was bearing fruit, a part of the building collapsed, trapping Ravinder under the debris.
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