Minutes after a fire broke out in Zammit Clapp Hospital, Noel Borg realised there were four elderly residents and four employees trapped on the third floor and resolved to save them.

The smoke was very thick and it was very hard to breathe... they thought I died

“I went round the building and realised there were people still upstairs and I had to go there,” said Mr Borg, facility manager at the residential home in St Julian’s.

His heroic act took place a month ago, on February 26, when a tumble dryer at the hospital caught fire and residents had to be evacuated. No one was injured and the blaze was quickly brought under control by the civil protection authorities.

He recounted how he was told that a fire had broken out in the laundry section while he was doing the rounds and immediately went upstairs to the third floor.

“We realised there was a particular smell and, seconds later, thick smoke appeared.”

The staff used extinguishers but did not manage to put out the fire in the tumble dryer, which burned faster.

“We decided to evacuate,” he said. There are more than 124 elderly residents and about 90 employees at Zammit Clapp.

With the evacuation completed and the authorities informed, Mr Borg realised there was a group of residents trapped upstairs.

He entered the building and crossed the corridor through the fire and the fumes.

“The smoke was very thick and it was very hard to breathe. There was oxygen tubing that caught fire, creating a huge flame. In fact, they thought I died,” Mr Borg said.

Luckily, he made it safely to the residents and employees and moved them to a section of the ward, sealing it off with a fire door.

Wet clothes were placed over the mouths of the residents and they waited for Civil Protection Department personnel to get them out of the building.

Mr Borg insists he did nothing heroic: “I did my job and duty. It wasn’t anything spectacular as all the staff came together to help.”.

However, Care Malta, who runs the home, recognised his heroic act in a short ceremony in which Mr Borg was presented with a golden pin of honour by company chairman Nazzareno Vassallo in the presence of CEO Natalie Briffa Farrugia and the staff.

He also received a Care Malta board citation recognising his courage and leadership.

All employees who helped out in the evacuation were also honoured by the company for their contribution in avoiding a tragedy.