A fire in Edsbyn on the night of Sunday could have ended really badly.
In the house, 92-year-old Kurt was sleeping, not knowing that the apartment would soon be on fire.
But the story ended happily, thanks to 19-year-old Alvar Claesson.
– It was just to run in and think that I would get him out, he says to Efter fem.
It was when Alvar Claesson came driving down Långgatan in Edsbyn that he discovered that a car was on fire. He called the fire department and then went to look for a water hose.
– I then saw that the house was on fire. I asked a person standing outside if there was someone living in there, and it was, says Alvar Claesson.
Lying and sleeping in the burning house
When Alvar realized that the house was in flames, he ran away. Some neighbors shouted that there was an old man living in one of the apartments and Alvar Claesson did not hesitate.
– It happened so fast that you probably didn’t have time to think properly. It was just a matter of running in, he says to Efter fem.
The door was locked
The gate to the apartment building was luckily unlocked, but when Alvar was about to get in to the old man who was sleeping in his apartment, he ran into problems. The door was locked.
– I had to tear the whole door apart. The whole shit dropped! says Alvar Claesson.
92-year-old Kurt was woken up by Alvar shouting his name:
– He was sleeping so it was just a matter of running to the bedroom and waking him up, and trying to get him some clothes, says Alvar Claesson.
The alert Kurt was helped to put on trousers and shoes, then Alvar took some more clothes and ran out with the man. By then, the smoke had already started to spread in the stairwell. And soon after, the first fire truck arrived on the scene.
The 92-year-old is doing well now
If Alvar had not acted, or if he had entered the apartment a few minutes later, the story could have had a completely different outcome. But now it ended well.
– Kurt, he’s doing pretty well now. The father met him in the village yesterday, Alvar Claesson tells Efter fem and continues:
– He greeted dad and thanked him again!
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