The postman who in recent days was the protagonist of a decisive intervention to save the life of an 84-year-old woman who was trapped in her home due to a fire is originally from Calabria. This is Rocco Guarnieri, 33 years old, from Rose, in the province of Cosenza, working for Poste Italiane in Brescia.
The episode occurred during the usual delivery round. Like every day, Guarnieri was delivering the mail when something caught his attention: the lack of response from the woman, usually punctual in collecting the correspondence.
The suspicion and the call to the Fire Brigade
Suspicious, the postman did not move away. After ringing several times, he noticed a strong smell of burning plastic coming from the house and immediately contacted the Fire Brigade, trying to verify what was happening.
«Don’t call me a hero – says Rocco Guarnieri – I did what anyone would have done when faced with a dangerous situation, without putting their own lives and those of others at risk».
The intervention inside the home
Thanks also to the help of a resident, who opened the gate of the building, Guarnieri managed to access the garden of the house. From there he noticed smoke coming from the kitchen and intervened.
Inside the apartment the situation was critical: the woman was in a state of confusion, while a pan on the stove had already caught fire, generating the beginning of a fire.
«I immediately rushed in – he remembers – and my first concern was to accompany her out, to safety. Then I notified the other condominium owners and waited for help to arrive.”
The woman saved and the flames tamed
The timely intervention of the postman made it possible to save the old woman and limit the damage. The firefighters, who quickly arrived on site thanks to the report, put out the flames, preventing the fire from spreading to the entire building.
From Rose to Brescia, without forgetting Calabria
Rocco Guarnieri has been working in Brescia for about three years, but maintains a close bond with his homeland, where he frequently returns to embrace his family.