ARLINGTON, Texas — An Arlington apartment fire survivor got the chance to meet all of his rescuers on Thursday, months after a kitchen fire filled his apartment with smoke and nearly claimed his life.
Shuney Singh, 65, says he was asleep when the kitchen in his apartment at SouthPoint Villas caught fire.
An automatic alarm alerted Arlington Fire Rescue. They found Singh, inundated by the smoke in his apartment, unresponsive, not breathing, and his heart stopped. Paramedics revived him and rushed him to a hospital where he would then spend nearly two weeks recovering from minor burns and severe smoke inhalation.
Now, six months later, Arlington Fire Rescue reunited him at Station 13 with the team of nearly a dozen fire personnel who helped save his life. Each firefighter was given a special life saving award by Fire Chief Bret Stidham and handshakes and hugs by Singh.
"They do a wonderful job every day," Singh said. "Every day they put their life on the line to save people like me. They all feel like family to me now because they give me back a new life., you know. So who gives you a new life? It's family."
Arlington FD Lt. Michelle Dereta said it was happy and emotional for both of them.
"Seeing him unresponsive was very emotional for me because I just wanted him to be OK," Dereta said. "I was soo happy when I found out he was going to make it."
Singh, who says he now lives in a different unit at the same apartment complex, says he salutes firefighters and police officers now when he sees them out in the public. He says he also prays for their safety each and every day.