When everything´s lost

StoryTelling is a project, initiated by Melton Fellows to share short stories about people and situations. The project team invites to see the world through the eyes of our neighbours, raising a sense of emphathy, connection and mutual understanding.

"Suddenly the smoke covered us, it choked me and the others fell to the ground. Then I decided to jump into the fire to go out, I just burned my feet"

This is how a brigade member and survivor described the tragedy in Carahue, Chile, when the sudden direction change of a fire forest roared to life, captured and killed six of his companions.

"We soaked our clothes, collected water in our helmets and said 'let's go, let's go'. I sent our coordinates by radio to get us out."

"I lost track of those left behind. I'm in shock when I think of those people who have died, and who worked directly with me. I still have a degree of guilt because maybe I could have done better and brought them out."