00:00It's not often you hear about someone risking their life to save a neighbor.
00:06But on Friday morning, that's exactly what two men from Lengwa Village, Princess Town, did.
00:1339-year-old Ronaldo Hussain and 34-year-old Hafiz Mohammed tried desperately to save their lifelong neighbor, 71-year
00:22-old Bridgnath Hiraman.
00:23And while they were able to pull him from the burning house alive, he later died at hospital.
00:31Hussain says the barking of dogs and sight of smoke from his neighbor's home prompted his response around 12.45
00:38a.m.
00:39I keep screaming his name and nobody in the meantime I hear any groan.
00:43And I don't know how God gives me that courage.
00:46And I kick open the sliding or the glass sliding.
00:49I don't have no bootleg up there, you know.
00:51I just, with machine slippers, I just kicked the door because I know my neighbor inside it.
00:56We hesitated, but we built each other's momentum and just went in without really thinking about what could happen.
01:05We just see our life and we needed to save somebody.
01:08That was the most important thing.
01:10It took about an hour before the victim's groaning turned to mumbling of words and mild responses.
01:16But after being transferred to the San Fernando General Hospital, he died while undergoing treatment.
01:22And while Ronaldo and Hafiz's rescue gave their neighbor a chance at survival, his death left them with a grief
01:31they could not escape.
01:32Yeah, I feel much better that if he'd live.
01:36Correct.
01:37Yeah, I feel much better than I feel now.
01:39I feel sick.
01:40Had some panic attacks.
01:42Started reliving that moment.
01:44Same thing with me.
01:45Feeling when your whole hand to lift him out, his skin come out.
01:49On your hand, shake out with only blood and then had to grab him again.
01:53Just bring him out.
01:55Couldn't leave him inside.
01:56Couldn't leave him inside.
01:57He had to bring him.
01:59So it was...
02:00It's still playing in our mind now.
02:02They remembered Hiraman as a truly good person and a great loss to the community.
02:07He was a father of three, grandfather of one.
02:11He lived here with his two sons, who at the time of the fire were working a construction job in
02:17Tobago.
02:18So he alone here, but he healthy and strong.
02:21And his bee, he's not a man to his age.
02:26He's 72 years, but he's not a man to his age.
02:29He has more pep than a young boy.
02:31He's a very, very family-oriented person.
02:34He's not a rowdy person.
02:37He's not a bad-minded person.
02:41You're doing something and he could render his assistance.
02:44He would assist you.
02:45He love animals.
02:46So dogs, goats, yeah, that kind of thing.
02:50The neighbours who live on either side of Hiraman say helping each other should be second nature.
02:57They believe it's how everyone should be.
03:00Once you grow up with a good mentality, as my boy here, we don't study about who do we want
03:06or this neighbor do what.
03:08Once I never need help, it's good to see that everybody could come together.
03:12This is our village.
03:13We are a local for each other.
03:15And that is where you don't see again.
03:17Cindy Raguba, Tika Singh, TV6 News.
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