When the fire broke out in one of the insulation rooms at the House Technologies Inc. (HTI) factory last Wednesday at around 6PM, line leader Jerome Sismaet could have quickly ran away and saved himself but he chose to make sure all his subordinates are safe and out of the burning factory before he went out.
This led to him getting himself burned so badly that he was in critical condition by the time he was rescued by the fire fighters and brought to Divine Grace Hospital along with other injured factory workers.
The fire was extinguished some 70 hours after it started, with firefighters declaring a fire out at around 4PM on Saturday but Sismaet would also lose his life several hours later. At 11PM, the hero worker succumbed to his severe burn injuries and became the first fatality of the fire which caused damages of at least Php15 billion.
Over a hundred workers were also hurt in the incident and many are still recuperating at the hospital.
But many of them owe their lives to Sismaet who made sure they were safe.
Meanwhile, HTI promised to pay for the funeral expenses and medical bills of those who were affected by the fire.
Rest in peace, Jerome Sismaet. You’re a hero!