TV series honouring firefighters’ hardship to be on air

Students of the University of Fire Prevention and Fighting participate in a scene. Photo courtesy of the university

HÀ NỘI — The dangerous work carried out by firefighters will be featured in a new television series, Lửa Ấm (Warm Fire), and will be screened on VTV1 on October 1.

The 50-episode series is produced by the Việt Nam Television Film Centre (VFC) in co-ordination with the Police Department of Fire Prevention and Fighting and Rescue.

The series stars People’s Artists Lan Hương and Trọng Trinh as well as popular actors and actress to TV audiences such as Thu Quỳnh, Mạnh Quân and Trương Minh Quốc Thái.

It took five years to complete the series, according to VFC Director Đỗ Thanh Hải.

“It surrounds the family issues between firefighter Minh and doctor Thủy. Through the conflict, the series highlight family love, friendship and the sacrifice of two special forces – doctors and firefighters – who are determined to save others,” Hải said.

“The project’s completed and released right at the fight against COVID-19 pandemic as a tribute to doctors.”

To play the role of firefighters, the actors were trained carefully for two months at the University of Fire Prevention and Fighting in the northern province of Hòa Bình. More than 300 teachers and students of the university also participated to some scenes.

“We learned to climb up, jump down from a 2m-high wall and use the firefighter clothing and equipment, the fire proximity suit with air tank is very heavy, we even had to practise to breathe with it,” said actor Thái.

 “In the film, when we heard an alarm, we quickly gathered for firefighting duty, we didn’t walk on staircases as usual but slide down the pole to save time, all actors practised to pass this basic test.”

The TV series reflects the danger faced by firefighters. Photo courtesy of VFC

Thái remembered that most memorable moment in the filmmaking is the fire in containers. The scene was made at the mid-day when the temperature outside reached 45 degrees Celsius. Many tyres were burned to make a fire. The three-hour set made him exhausted.

“It was smoky, stuffy and hot inside the burning container, we tried our best to be truthful for the scenes. One wardrobe was dropped on my head but the firefighter helmet was so good so I was not wounded,” Thái said.

“We take our hats off to the firefighters, they are brave and respectful.”

The series will be screened from Monday to Friday on 9pm. After the premiere on VTV1, it will be broadcast on VTV4 with English subtitles. VNS