• Four Hundred Died, I Survived
    Awake!—1987 | November 8

    • After a while I heard a picking sound. “Mr. Quijano,” I cried out, “God has sent someone to save us! They’ll be here soon, and I’ll tell them to get you out!” His only response was a faint moan and then silence.

      Not long afterward, a voice called from the dark recesses ahead of me, “Is there anyone there?”

      “Yes, yes!” I cried.

      “How many?”

      “There are several of us, some badly injured,” I answered. More picking. Then, “Do you see a light?”

      “Yes!” I shouted back, “I see the light!” Our rescuers kept picking at the opening, and soon the light almost illuminated the area I was lying in.

      “Can you see a way out following the light?” the rescuers called. “Yes, I’ll try!” I answered.

      I shouted to the others on the second floor: “Over here, try to get yourselves over here! We can get out! Send the boy first!”

      I began to drag myself forward over pieces of twisted iron, brick, glass, and concrete. ‘I must keep moving ahead,’ I thought. ‘I can’t stay here.’ I was close enough to the opening to reach a hose with an oxygen mask attached that was passed through the hole. I continued to inch along until I reached the narrow opening.

      The rescuers pulled me out, one arm first, then the rest of my body. My clothing was torn, my body scraped. “How do you feel?” they asked. “Happy,” I answered.

      When I reached the street, there was a maze of people, some assisting injured ones, some digging in the ruins of the building. Anguished onlookers converged on me, wanting to know in what part of the building I had been.

      “Have you seen my wife?” “Have you seen my father?” “Did you see my sister?” they asked desperately. I could only answer: “There are many more trapped and alive down there, so keep trying.”

      Others were rescued from the same opening as I, some severely injured. Many others, though, died from asphyxiation. On the street just outside the building was a pitiful sight​—a row of corpses. Mr. Quijano and the young boy from the second floor were among these unfortunate ones.​—As told by Antonieta de Urbina.