Indonesian man helps save many in Korean wildfires, carrying dozens of elderly on his back to safety

As the wildfire that started in Uiseong County on March 22 spread to a village in Yeongdeok County, an Indonesian fisherman became an unexpected hero. Together with the local fishing village chief, he ran through the village, helping to evacuate dozens of residents.

According to a March 31 News1 report, when the wildfire, fueled by strong winds, reached the coastal village of Chuksan-myeon on March 25, 31-year-old Indonesian national Sugiyanto joined village chief Yoo Myung Shin in alerting residents and guiding them to safety.

Around 11 PM, the two rushed from house to house, waking up sleeping residents and urging them to evacuate. Sugiyanto shouted, “Grandmother, there’s a fire in the mountains! You need to leave quickly!”

With many elderly residents struggling to flee, he and the village chief carried them on their backs, running approximately 300 meters to the village’s breakwater. The village, located on a coastal slope, made it difficult for seniors to escape quickly.

A 90-year-old resident recalled, “If it weren’t for him, we would have all died. I had fallen asleep while watching TV, but I woke up to shouts of ‘Fire!’ When I opened the door, Sugiyanto was there, and he carried me out of the house.”

Sugiyanto, who has been working in Korea as a fisherman for eight years, said, “I don’t even remember how much we ran. I woke up the grandmothers and carried them down the hill. I was terrified when I saw the fire reach the store in front of me.”

Originally from Indonesia, Sugiyanto has a wife and a five-year-old son back home. He speaks Korean well enough to communicate with the villagers and shares his deep affection for the community. He said, “I love Korea, especially because the villagers feel like family. In three years, I’ll have to return home, but my wife called me to say she’s really proud of me. I feel fulfilled knowing no one was hurt in the fire.”

The village of Gyeongjeong 3-ri has about 80 households and 60 residents, all of whom safely evacuated to the breakwater thanks to the efforts of Sugiyanto and the village chief. Grateful villagers praised him, saying, “If it weren’t for Sugiyanto and the chief, we might have faced disaster. We hope such an incredible and reliable young man can continue working and living here.”