TURØY (AP) Firefighter Jarl Hestad was one of the first to arrive where a helicopter crashed and 13 people lost their lives. The sight that met him, he found it hard to describe.
– It was a disaster area. There were human remains on the one hand, it burned powerful on the other side, and aircraft components lay scattered, says the experienced firefighter VG.
He has worked for Øygard fire brigades for many years. The small fire station has only two full-time employees, among them Hestad.
Friday just before noon he found himself a kilometer from the downtown core of Øygard. On the phone began to tick messages from residents at Turøy notifying wildfire.
– We are a small local fire, so the locals know me. Several notified of what they thought was a grass fire, so that was what was in my head when I ran out.
Then came the alarm. The transmitter in his jacket pocket began to beep. “Work Accident” , it said.
– I remember thinking: “Work Accident”? What is this? Perhaps there is a small helicopter, such that tend to swirl around Turøy, which has encountered problems?
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The Hestad thought was a harmless fire, would prove to be something quite different. Only when he saw the big helicopter parts in the water, he understood. It was clear that this was the hull of an offshore helicopter. Hestad was no longer in doubt that something very serious had happened.
– I remember that one civilian on the bridge grabbed me when I arrived. He was in despair and did not speak coherently, but the man managed to convince me that this was a real big event.
VG has previously met the man who grabbed Hestad. Anton Magne Turøy was on the bridge over to the island when the accident occurred. He and his wife had to run for their lives to avoid being hit by parts.
Wreck: Here hoisted helicopter hull out of the water.
Photo: Krister Sørbø VG
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Remember silence
– I called several of my men came quickly to the place. Afterwards they told me that seriousness not dawned on them until they saw the remains of people. They were scattered over a fairly large area, both in water and on land, says Hestad.
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ACCIDENT helicopter: It was such a helicopter from CHC helicopter service that crashed at Turøy outside Bergen Friday.
Photo: Kristoffer Rivedal NTB scanpix– What impression sets strongest mark on such an experienced firefighter?
– It is difficult to answer, says Hestad.
But he remembers the smell of gasoline. And silence. Usually there is much sound at a crime scene. Cars that hums and instruments sums. But looking at Turøy heard not like that. It was silent.
– People were so concentrated. It was a tremendous focus on saving lives until we got mapped the full extent of the accident. After that operation characterized by the many strong visual impressions we met through the day. You know, such an impression that makes people a little quiet.
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TOUGH CONDITIONS: It jumps fire crew in the water during the rescue operation on Turøy.
Photo: Krister Sørbø VG
– Surreal
ordinarily engaged Hestad with the training of novice firefighters. He thus tends to take pictures at crime scenes he is in, to use in class.
– A house fire or car accident, snap, snap. It is not always easy to draw an example of a firefighter, but it is easy to see. In this incident, however, I have not taken a single picture. I do not think it had been joke to do it either. For whom should you teach this?
The accident on Turøy is the single most important event Hestad has been involved in. It will take time to process the impressions, he believes.
– This is an unusual situation for us. You know, we firefighters are really quite A4. When we are notified of an event, we form an image based on previous experience of what will meet us. This time I had no reference points. Everything was just surreal.
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