Man dies in well while scared fire brigade waits for scuba diver

Called to rescue a person who had fallen into a well in Bazarpeth area, also in Kalyan, early on Monday, Fire Brigade personnel did not enter it and allegedly waited three hours for a scuba diver to arrive and retrieve the body

One doesn't normally associate the adage, 'Once bitten, twice shy,' with the Fire Brigade. But the death of two Fire Brigade officers due to inhalation of toxic gas when they entered a well in November at Kalyan for a rescue, seems to have made the department overtly cautious.

Called to rescue a person who had fallen into a well in Bazarpeth area, also in Kalyan, early on Monday, Fire Brigade personnel did not enter it and allegedly waited three hours for a scuba diver to arrive and retrieve the body.

Locals allege that they had heard the unidentified person screaming for help, and called the Fire Brigade, but an officer claimed he had died in the night. Police said an unknown person approximately 30 years old, fell into a 100-year-old well and was screaming for help. Local residents called the Fire Brigade and police. They claim the Fire Brigade team waited for three hours for a scuba diver to arrive, and the unidentified person who had fallen in the well, had died by then.

A local resident, Jayesh Singh said, "We called the Fire Brigade after we heard a person scream from inside the well. But fire officials did not have the equipment for his rescue. So, they waited for a scuba diver to come and help."

A video shot by a resident shows that the fire personnel had only a rope without a harness for the rescuer, or for the body. They took almost 3 to 4 hours to bring the body from the well. Bazarpeth police are trying to establish the identity of the person.

Kalyan Fire Brigade officer, Dilip Gunda said, "The man had died in the night. We have all the equipment, but we are experts in fire-fighting and not in such a situation. Who will take the risk of going inside?"

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