Of stories of bravery and courage at the crash site
Sitting outside the burns ward of B.K. Hospital here, 25-year-old Mithlesh Devi just shakes her head in disbelief at her husband's brave act in saving victims of Wednesday's aircraft crash here and wonder he is still alive.
Her 30-year-old husband Omkar is lying in the ward swathed in bandages over his face and right hand as he was badly burned while saving the family of his friend and the two pilots, who were screaming in pain, after their single-engine plane carrying a serious patient from Patna to New Delhi crashed in this middle class residential colony.
"I couldn't believe it. He's lucky to be alive," Mitlesh Devi told IANS.
Recounting the event, Devi said that Omkar, a painter by profession, had gone to visit the ill-fated house 1254/3 in Parvatiya colony to meet his friend Nishant, known more by his nickname Babu.
Nishant, a Nepali, lived with his wife and two children as tenant on the first floor of Shobha Ram Sherawat's house.
It was around 10.40 p.m. when they heard the booming sound and saw the roof caving in as the falling aircraft tore through it. Soon fire engulfed the house.
The screaming family of Nishant tried to flee. Omkar helped them out, but in the process suffered burns on his hand.
But, it was not over yet.He heard the screams of the pilots, who were writhing as they were surrounded by flames after the oil spilled out.
Omkar tried to prise open the cockpit and break the glass. But when he failed, he tried to throw a bucket full of water. However, in his bid to help, he got burn injuries on his face.
Seeing that he would not be able to save anyone, Omkar then jumped from the floor to the ground and fell unconscious.
It was sheer fate that he was found in time and was rushed to the hospital. The entire colony was in darkness as the dust-storm had cut off the electricity supply to it.
Besides the seven people in the aircraft who died in the tragedy, three people - all women - perished. The three women were the house owner's 55-year-old wife Vedvati, his daughter Sarita (19) and daughter-in-law Rani (20).
"All of a sudden I heard a loud noise and as I looked up from the window, a aircraft crashed at Nishant's house. I opened my door and rushed towards it. A little later, I saw Omkar jumping from the building. When I came, I saw him badly burned," Mithlesh Devi told IANS.
She said the amazing thing was that Omkar was able to save the entire family of Nishant, who received minor burns.
Remembering the terrible night, Satish, whose sister Rani died, said: "It was terrifying. Everything was burning. The house, the aircraft and the people."
On seeing the house on fire, Satish had even tried to enter the house with a bucketful of water. His sister had married Sherawat's son three months back and he had come to see her.He was, however, able to save Sarita's infant son.
"It was a black, dark and horrible night. Everything is over. We will never be same again," said Satish, as tears rolled down his eyes.
