Firefighter in Gimhae Dramatically Rescues Woman Attempting Extreme Choice on Commute

Hallim 119 Safety Center Team Leader Kim Chansu 2: "Really Glad to Have Rescued"

Firefighter Kim Chansu is holding and pulling up a woman who was about to make an extreme choice at Samrangjin Bridge in Miryang. [Image source: Video provided by Gyeongnam Fire Headquarters]

A firefighter on his way to work safely rescued a woman who was about to jump off a bridge.

At around 8:19 a.m. on the 16th, Fire Lieutenant Kim Chansu, team leader of Team 2 at the Hallim 119 Safety Center, Gimhae West Fire Station, Gyeongnam, was driving to work as usual.

While driving over Samrangjin Bridge in Miryang City, Lieutenant Kim noticed a woman taking unidentified pills at the corner of the bridge.

Perhaps it was the firefighter’s intuition. Recognizing at a glance that she was about to make an extreme choice, Lieutenant Kim quickly stopped his car and ran over.

The woman, wearing clothes stained with blood and with wounds on her arms and legs, was taking pills out of her bag and putting them into her mouth. There were also signs of self-harm on parts of her body.

When asked what she was doing, the woman did not answer and chewed the pills without water.

Lieutenant Kim held both of the woman’s cheeks with one hand to make her spit out the pills. Although the woman bit his finger in resistance, he could not leave her be.

Fire Captain Kim Chansu is talking with a woman on the Samrangjin Bridge in Miryang, Gyeongnam. [Image source: Video provided by Gyeongnam Fire Headquarters]

Continuing the conversation by handing her a cigarette after she said she smoked, Lieutenant Kim called 119 emergency services for the woman’s safety.

Meanwhile, his hastily parked car was blocking the road, causing traffic congestion.

Lieutenant Kim briefly left to move his car, keeping his eyes fixed on the woman.

While moving the car and keeping an eye on the woman left alone, he saw her climb onto the railing. He abandoned his car and ran toward her.

Just as she was about to climb over the railing and fall off the bridge, Lieutenant Kim barely grabbed her arm.

He pulled the woman up precariously and took her to a spot far from the bridge railing to check her condition.

He then handed the woman over to the Samrangjin ambulance team from Miryang Fire Station that arrived at the scene and reported the situation.

Lieutenant Kim said, “In my 32 years of public service, this is the first time I have rescued someone so narrowly. It all happened in about ten minutes, and my body is still trembling, but I’m really glad I was able to save her.”

He added, “I sincerely hope that the person who was taken to the hospital recovers safely and returns to her daily life.”