A Moroccan building caretaker has been hailed as a hero after rescuing an 88-year-old resident who collapsed in her apartment during France’s ongoing heatwave.
Moulay Bahsine, 51, a concierge at the Lyautey residence in Courbevoie, west of Paris, found the elderly woman unconscious after becoming concerned when she failed to respond to repeated phone calls and knocks on her door, according to Le Parisien.
Originally from Agadir, Bahsine previously worked as a holiday camp entertainer before joining the residential complex, where he has worked for the past 35 years.
As temperatures approached 40 degrees Celsius on Thursday morning, Bahsine noticed that Andrée, an 88-year-old resident he regularly checks on during periods of extreme heat, was not answering her phone or door.
Maintaining a personal list of vulnerable residents, Bahsine said he routinely contacts elderly tenants during heatwaves. The Lyautey residence comprises 525 housing units, with residents aged over 65 accounting for an estimated 35% to 60% of tenants, according to Le Parisien.
Unable to reach Andrée, Bahsine obtained a spare key from a neighbor and used a screwdriver to force open the apartment’s security latch.
He discovered her lying unconscious on the living room floor.
“She was face down, her body wedged between two sofas,” Bahsine told Le Parisien.
The woman had reportedly been immobilized for about four hours and was unable to activate her emergency alarm, although she was still breathing.
Following instructions from firefighters over the phone, Bahsine administered first aid for about 20 minutes until emergency responders arrived.
Andrée was taken to hospital, where she is recovering but remains under close medical supervision, Le Parisien reported.
Fabrice Billard, deputy director general of the public housing authority Rives de Seine Habitat and director of its Courbevoie agency, personally thanked Bahsine for his actions.
“He saved her life. Mr. Bahsine is a man with a big heart,” Billard told Le Parisien.
In response to the extreme temperatures, the housing authority has also opened an air-conditioned room for residents to use during the heatwave.
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