A Heroic Sacrifice: GNB Officer Dies Saving Child from House Fire
A true tragedy occurred on Monday, January 22, in the town of San José de El Amparo, Páez municipality in the Apure state. A military officer, Andrés Felipe Rivas Asprilla, who was in civilian clothes, was burned to death when he entered a house that was on fire to rescue an 11-year-old boy.
The incident occurred in the Lagunita neighborhood. The neighbors saw a lot of smoke and several flames coming out of the house and notified others. It is at that moment that the official, who lived in the residence, decided to go in to remove the child who was inside the house. Once he managed to save him, his body caught fire and when he got out of it he died from severe burns.
For now, the cause of the fire was the short circuit of two light bulbs, according to the version of some of those present who told Radio Fe y Alegría Noticias.
The flames consumed all the infrastructure and the objects that were inside. The sergeant major of the 3rd GNB who lost his life in this unfortunate event was called Andrés Felipe Rivas Asprilla.
The child was in a delicate health condition at the San Vicente de Arauca hospital. Sadly, he passed away two days later.
This brave officer’s heroic sacrifice will always be remembered.