Having run into a burning building to rescue residents in East London last week, a group of Black Muslim teenagers have been hailed as “heroes,” The Independent’s Nadine White reports.
The fire broke out at a tower-block in Bethnal Green last Thursday, when the five teens were on their way to The Young Black Men Project hub nearby. After hearing a loud bang from across the street, likened to an “explosion” by eyewitnesses, and seeing the smoke, they raced to the scene.
Speaking to the Big Issue, Sakariye Digaale, also known as Zack, said: “There were five of us; we all had different roles. I said I’d find disabled people and another friend was pointing people to the exits. We went up the floors knocking on the doors telling people to leave the building. A lot of people were shocked, they thought we were trolling them, so it was a struggle to explain to them we weren’t joking. I heard that there was a guy on the fourth floor who I had heard was deaf and blind, so I was trying to go to him to rescue him out of the building. So I put him on my back and took him down the stairs.”
Despite being “scared”, the brave 18-year-old described the situation as a “fight or flight” moment where helping to secure the safety of others was paramount. “Being a Muslim,” he added, “we’re trying to help guys. That could have been a dad, that could have been anyone. And everyone’s thinking I’m a hero now and I’m thinking this is normal!”
Zakariya Ibrahim, 18, also ran into the building to save its residents, and told the Big Issue: “I just know if I had my nan or mum in a building I wish people did that because nowadays I’ve seen people only care for themselves so I hope this changes people and it becomes a domino effect where everyone starts to help in any way.”
Roughly 100 firefighters and 15 fire engines were called to the scene which took eight hours to be finally subdued.
Founded by Abdi Hassan, The Young Black Men Project is a community-based group supporting Somali and other Black people in East London. Hassan said he was “so proud” of the trio and praised them for their heroic actions during a time when “too often the narrative is different” for young black males in the media.
“I recognise the excellence and power of our young Black men, the importance to let them lead, direct our work and to give back as Islam teaches us, that our neighbours have rights over us,” he said. “I hope that we can really look at the narrative about Black men and that we reimagine how we treat our young people, I am honoured to serve them daily.”
Paul Green, station commander, said: “Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus rescued one man from a second floor flat. He was taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews. Another three people were led to safety by crews using fire escape hoods and a further person was assisted from the building. They were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation and three were taken to hospital.”
