He may not be a mutant with regenerative healing powers, animal senses, superhuman agility, and Adamantium-laced skeleton and claws. He may not even be an expert in martial arts or speak fluent Japanese, but 22-year-old Ricardo Fuentes is a hero just like the Wolverine. One who, instead of running away in panic, helped people during last week’s deadly explosion at Pemex’s headquarters in Mexico D.F.
The explosion happened on Thursday, January 31, in the main building of Mexican state-owned petroleum conglomerate’s headquarter. Fuentes was working in an annex just before the blast. As he went out to bring some papers to the main tower, the huge detonation blew him onto the floor.
But instead of running away like most people, the oil rig worker ran towards the collapsing tower:
I left the office late […] I felt the blast, I fell down and saw other coworkers lying on the floor too. I think that, like everyone, you freeze in these situation and then, when you start seeing other people running away you think “shall I run or go help?
I wasn’t prepared for it, but all my coworkers are great people and we always shared the vision that nobody should be left behind. Either we all go out or nobody leaves, which is the most important blessing that an oil rig man can have.
Sadly, 37 people didn’t make it and die. According to Mexico’s attorney general, Jesús Murillo, the explosion and subsequent building’s collapse was caused by the build-up of gas methane in the basement. Murillo said that there were no explosive and that the explosion “caused a defect in the structure of the floors, which first were pushed upward, and then fell, which was the main cause of death in the building.”
Despite the danger, Ricardo ran to the collapsed building and, using an office chair, he helped to get out a couple of injured people out of the explosion site.
Someone took the photo above, posted it, going viral a few minutes later. He says that all his friends call him Logan — the real name of the Marvel character — since he was in school. When he saw the photo and the comments in Facebook and Twitter, he couldn’t stop laughing, saying that he’s not hero. Just another guy.
Ricardo, any guy who runs towards an explosion site to help people is a hero in my book, no matter his hair style and jacket. [El Diario de Chihuahua — In Spanish]