Robin Harju rescued a man from a burning apartment – Helsinki City Rescue Department presented him with the ‘Elämän liekki’ award

The ‘Elämän liekki’ award is presented on the initiative of the Helsinki City Rescue Department.

The Helsinki City Rescue Department awarded Robin Harju with the ‘Elämän liekki’ (‘Fire of Life’) award. Harju's actions during the fire were exemplary and far exceeded the standard that many others would have settled for.

Fire Foreman Juha Westermark from the second shift of the Mellunkylä rescue station said that when the rescue unit arrived at the scene, Harju had practically already extinguished the fire.

In late October, Harju was on a maintenance assignment in a residential area and heard cries for help. A nearby house was on fire and its occupant was screaming for help. Harju noticed smoke coming out of the apartment. He entered the first floor apartment through the terrace.

There was an elderly man inside who could not get out on his own, and there was a lot of smoke in the apartment.

"I helped the man out first. Next, I got a fire extinguisher from my car and extinguished the items burning on the stove and turned the stove off. Then I called the Emergency Response Centre," Harju recalls.

"I was pleased to find that I was able to spring to action in a tense situation. My heart rate was high immediately after the incident, but I felt good," he continues.

Rescue Commander Jani Pitkänen presented the award to Harju together with the Mellunkylä second shift, which was called to the scene at the time.

Thank you, Robin, for your exemplary work!

The Helsinki City Rescue Department presents the ‘Elämän liekki’ (‘Fire of Life’) award to a layperson whose actions have most likely prevented the death or serious injury of another person. The recipient of the award has put their own health and safety at risk and shown exceptional courage and resourcefulness in saving another human being.

The ‘Elämän liekki’ award is presented on the initiative of the Helsinki City Rescue Department.