After a loud explosion was heard, a firefighter weighing over 150 pounds was thrown off about 20 feet apart. Other firefighters struggling with the fire together with him were also thrown away.

The fireman who participated in putting out the Grand Royal Distillery fire said that a fire ball rolled past him before being thrown off.

“I heard a loud explosion. When I looked back, a large fire ball was passing behind me. Then I was thrown off about 20 feet apart,” the man said.

Thanks to his full firefighting equipment, he just sustained minor injuries. His face also escaped harm as he raised his hands wearing gloves to cover it when the fire ball passed over. After being thrown off, he had to struggle to reach an ambulance, he recounted.

“My wet firefighting suit got dried immediately. I was so lucky that I fell on my back. If I fell in a prone position, my back would catch fire. I could barely stand up. When I arrived near an ambulance, I fell unconscious, he added.

Receiving information that a fire broke out at the Grand Royal Distillery located on Highway No.4 in Hmawby Township, Yangon Region, at about 3.30 pm on January 13, the fire brigade concerned and aid organizations rushed to the scene.

The fire started at 3:41 pm on January 13 at the dining room of the distillery.  The fire stated as level 3 spread to the barrels of rectified alcohol, the according to the aid organizations arriving there. 

Fire engines from almost all the fire stations in Yangon Region arrived at the scene. It took the firefighters more than 16 hours to put out the fire. Over 500 firefighters participated in the operation while the charity organizations were helping with the relief and rescue work.

An aid organization member arriving at Insein People’s Hospital said: “On the night of the fire, I saw the injured fire brigade and aid organization members receiving medical treatment in a ward near the emergency room at Insein Hospital. A total of 17 were there.”

All the injured people were discharged from hospital on the evening of January 14.

Fire brigade members as well as charity organization members also took part in relief and rescue measures during the ammonia leakage incident at Moe Water Purification Plant on Oakkyin Railway Station Road in Hlaing Township on January 12. 

“An ammonia gas leak occurred at Moe Water Purification Plant in Hlaing Township, Yangon Region, on January 12. No one arrived at the scene, the firefighters climbed up the height and closed the bar aiming to control the ammonia gas. After we had closed the gas bar, we heard a loud noise which made us agitated. We carried out the task to help the victims as a gesture showing a genuine awareness that they were in trouble,” said one of the firefighters who participated in the operations against both the distillery fire and ammonia gas leak.

A large number of firefighters and charitable organizations from Yangon Region arrived at Moe Water Purification Plant to conduct rescue work.

Due to the ammonia gas leakage, some nearby residents suffered from nausea while some fell unconscious. All of a sudden, Yangon became a noisy city with honking ambulances throughout the night of January 12.

"It started with ammonia gas coming from clean rainwater. At first, we could only hear the sound. There was no smell. Later, the smell spread and reached Malar Myaing 1st Street and 2nd Street. Later it reached Malar Myaing 7th Street and 8th Street. From there, it spread to the Bata area. People from the ambulances told the people in the buildings to come down. Then they started to help. I started vomiting when I got the smell. I had to come down from my apartment and go to another place", said a woman near the site.

The firefighters were ready to carry out the relief works at the ammonia gas leakage that occurred at Moe Water Purification Plant in Hlaing Township.

“We went to the leakage site and watched it all night. On the following day (January 13), we put out the fire at the Grand Royal Distillery in Hmawby Township. They didn’t sleep for two consecutive days,” said one of the firefighters who helped with both incidents.

In Yangon Region, two major incidents happened within two days. So, the firefighters and charitable organizations continued to carry out relief work.