North Gyeongsang village residents praise Indonesian fisher who saved elderly from wildfire
Published: 01 Apr. 2025, 12:13
-
- LEE SOO-JUNG
- [email protected]
![A 31-year-old Indonesian fisher explains how he assisted elderly people's evacuation when the Uiseong fire engulfed his village in Yeongdeok County in North Gyeongsang a week ago on March 31. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/04/01/c6060f1b-4acc-42e3-8cd6-fd0c58713599.jpg)
A 31-year-old Indonesian fisher explains how he assisted elderly people's evacuation when the Uiseong fire engulfed his village in Yeongdeok County in North Gyeongsang a week ago on March 31. [NEWS1]
Indonesian fisher Sugianto, 31, went door-to-door and saved his elderly neighbors from the wildfire that engulfed his village in Yeongdeok County, North Gyeongsang, last week.
When the wildfire, which began in Uiseong County, reached Yeongdeok County at around 11 p.m. on March 25, Sugianto and the head of the village’s fishing community, Yoo Myung-sin, knocked on neighbors’ doors warning them to evacuate.
The Indonesian fisher arrived in Korea eight years ago with an employment visa. He is fluent at speaking Korean.
The seaside village is situated on sloped terrain, which made it difficult for the elderly to evacuate.
To ensure quick evacuation, Yoo and Sugianto carried their elderly neighbors on their backs and ran to a seawall around 300 meters (984 feet) away from the residential area.
“All I thought was that I needed to save the grandmas and the residents rapidly,” Sugianto said. He also told public broadcaster KBS that he helped some seven older adults evacuate from the Uiseong fire.
The Indonesian fisher said he couldn't remember "how much he ran across the village” with Yoo.
Sugianto said he was frightened when he saw a store engulfed by flames while carrying an old lady on his back. She was woken up after hearing shouts of “Hurry up! Hurry up!”
A Yeongdeok County resident in their 90s said people might have died if it were not for the Indonesian fisher.
“I was able to evacuate from my house, as he was in front of my door after I woke up from hearing the shouts,” the elderly resident said.
Sugianto's five-year-old son and wife are in Indonesia. He will go back to his home country in three years.
“I like Korea so much. Especially, the villagers are like family,” Sugianto said. He added that his wife told him that she was proud of him.
Villagers praised Sugianto and Yoo for their heroism. Some said they wish to live and work with a responsible young man like him.
The seaside village has around 60 residents who all evacuated safely to the seawall when the Uiseong fire reached Yeongdeok County.
BY LEE SOO-JUNG [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)