Firefighter Darren honoured for saving holy Sikh scripture from arson
FIREFIGHTER Darren Heather has won a special achievement’ award for saving holy scriptures of the Sikh faith. He dashed into a blazing Sikh temple in East London risking his own safety to rescue the scriptures
FIREFIGHTER Darren Heather has won a 'special achievement' award for saving holy scriptures of the Sikh faith.
He dashed into a blazing Sikh temple in East London risking his own safety to rescue the scriptures from being destroyed in an arson attack earlier this year.
He single-handedly saved the faith community's most precious work from the blaze that gutted the temple in Harley Grove in Bow in March.
"I just did my job," said hero Darren. "But after seeing the desperation of people when we turned up, there was no question of letting them go into the temple to try to save the holy book."
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He took the initiative and found out from the community leader where the holy scripture was inside the burning temple and went in himself.
Darren was nominated for the award by Poplar fire-station manager Robin Whittington who said: "People were in a terrible state when we arrived and were trying to get into the burning temple.
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"Darren went in with breathing apparatus, found the scripture and brought it out. He didn't think twice about it, knowing how much this scripture meant to the community."
The Special Achievement award was presented to Darren by London Fire Commissioner Ron Dobson at a ceremony on Wednesday at Brigade HQ.
