Century-long flooding in Saarland - Brave firefighter Niclas rescued my young son (4)
On Friday, the flood in the Rußhütte district suddenly disappeared as swiftly as it had arrived. The streets, such as Fischbachstraße, are now free of puddles. However, there are giant trash cans lining the road, and the furniture inside people's houses is still damp and swollen from the water. Residents are working hard to restore normalcy, but it will take time.
Friday's normality has been turned upside down.
Michelle Steffen and her four-year-old son, Leano, stand in front of the house where the chaotic events unfolded. It's the location where the famous rescue photo was taken.
Michelle Steffen recalls, "I had just taken the luggage one floor up to give to my landlord. Nobody would have imagined the extent of the disaster and that we'd all be forced to leave our homes!"
A little stream turned into a raging threat
The water kept rising, swiftly, relentlessly. The Fischbach – usually a mere trickle – had turned into a lethal danger. And suddenly, an urgent order was given: Everyone must evacuate! It was an emergency evacuation!
When the fire department began to evacuate the residents, the water had already risen to the top steps of the stairs. Michelle explains, "Suddenly, everything happened really fast. The fire department told me that I had to leave my apartment. Now!"
Firefighter Niclas saves Leano
When she returned, firefighter Niclas, a 17-year-old volunteer from the Burbach fire department, had already taken Leano to safety. Michelle was led out of the house by a policeman. She was told to go to a school, which served as an assembly point for evacuees – separated from her child.
"I was terrified and crying! No one knew exactly where my son was. I was told he was being taken to a collection point by the fire department. That was awful."
Leano quickly established a connection with firefighter Niclas and was even granted permission to sit in the fire engine when its siren was turned on. Mother and son were reunited soon after. Although they were both shaken, they were physically unharmed.
Homeless
However, this small family has lost everything. "We're homeless," says Michelle Steffen. "The apartment is uninhabitable, the furniture is ruined." She'll temporarily live with her mother. "But we don't know what to do next," she adds.
Michelle and Leano are now relying on the kindness and solidarity of people in Germany to help them through this difficult time.
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Source: symclub.org
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