The Earthquake in Bam

[kramer]

Anyone who went to Bam in Iran probably stayed at Akbar’s Guesthouse. I was there only about 6 months ago. It didn’t survive the quake unfortunately. Also, while Akbar, a lovely and generous man survived, he lost his son and many other members of his family. His son worked at the guesthouse and I remember staying up a couple of lateish nights with a couple of the guests, him and his mate. He could tell a good story, was smart and funny. He had some cracker jokes about the Ayatollah. RIP mate.

December 30, 2003 Times (UK)

Wanderlust led Briton to death in earthquake city
By Ramita Navai in Bam and Patrick Barkham

¡§IT WAS exactly here I was sitting with Gavin,¡¨ Akhbar says in
English,
pointing a finger at a mound of rubble, indistinguishable from all the
other
mounds. ¡§This was where we all used to sit and talk in the evening, me
and
my guests.¡¨
He breaks down as he relates how Gavin Sexton, a Hampshire fireman,
spent
his last evening before dying in the Bam earthquake.

Mr Sexton, 36, the only British fatality, had taken a year¡¦s leave to
go
travelling. A fit 36-year-old with wanderlust, he was a keen triathlete
and
had served as a fireman for 11 years with the Hampshire Fire Brigade,
before
leaving last year to travel the world. Six months ago, he set off from
Nepal
on a vintage Enfield motorbike, criss-crossing his way along the Silk
Road,
bound for Turkey.

Mike Gates, of Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: ¡§He wanted to
travel around the world while he was young enough to do it. He got his
head
down in Bam for a night and it was the wrong night.

¡§If he had got there 24 hours later, he probably would have
volunteered to
join in the rescue effort. He was that type of person.¡¨

Mr Sexton arrived in Bam last Wednesday and took his motorcycle to be
serviced on Christmas Day. He had decided to leave that afternoon. But,
like
most travellers who stay at the Akhbar Guesthouse ¡X a Lonely Planet
guide
favourite ¡X he was enticed by the lazy courtyard, with its shady date
palms, and the warmth of Akhbar¡¦s company. ¡§He said to me, Akhbar, I
like
it so much, I¡¦ve decided to stay another night.¡¨

The earthquake struck early on Boxing Day.

In an extraordinary twist of fate, Mr Sexton¡¦s colleagues from
Hampshire
Fire Brigade were the first rescue team to arrive at the devastated
scene,
but they had no idea that their colleague was among those entombed.

¡§We knew a Brit had been killed, but we didn¡¦t know who. There was a
photo
going around, but I didn¡¦t see it. If I had seen it, I would have
known,¡¨
Phil Crook, a friend and colleague, said.

Mr Sexton¡¦s parents were being comforted last night at their home in
Marchwood, near Southampton. Alan Sexton, his father, said: ¡§This is a
very
difficult time for us. We are trying to come to terms with the news.¡¨

Mr Sexton¡¦s body was recovered by local and British rescuers, curled
up in
bed, with his blanket still over him. He had died in his sleep. The
retrieval of his body was observed by a British diplomatic team who had
travelled to Bam to deal with British casualties. He was buried in a
mass
grave, as it would have taken too long to take him to London and the
authorities were anxious to prevent the spread of disease.

The Hampshire firemen paid their respects at the scene of his death
yesterday before conducting a simple service at his graveside. All that
could be heard was the rustling of the palm trees in the wind and the
distant rumble of lorries.

After a minute they put on their masks and started to pick away at the
bricks. They were intent on finding Mr Sexton¡¦s rucksack. ¡§We think
there
might be a camera in it, so we want to find it for his parents,¡¨ Mr
Crook
said.

¡§There¡¦s another body here, I can smell it,¡¨ one of them shouted.
After
an hour of digging, they pulled out Mr Sexton¡¦s rucksack. They huddled
around the dusty bag, bulging with travelling gear. Then Peter Crook,
the
team leader, shouted: ¡§We¡¦ve got the camera.¡¨

All that remains of the Akhbar Guesthouse is the front door. Akhbar
Panjalizadeh, a retired teacher, ran it for eight years. ¡§It was my
dream.
It¡¦s all I ever wanted to do. I wanted to be buried here,¡¨ he sobbed.

He helped to save seven foreign guests from the hostel, but he lost his
son.
¡§I could hear him moaning through the ground. I could hear him. But I
couldn¡¦t save him,¡¨ he said.

While rescuers wound down their search for survivors, estimates of the
final
toll rose to 30,000.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran¡¦s Supreme Leader, adressed a crowd in Bam
yesterday and vowed that it would be returned to its former glory. ¡§We
share your sorrow, those lost are our children. We will rebuild Bam
stronger
than before.¡¨

Rapid UK¡¦s donations: 01837-851443, Beech Lodge, Jacobstowe,
Okehampton,
Devon EX20 3RG or http://www.rapidsar.org.uk. British Red Cross appeal:
020-7245-1000, British Red Cross, FREEPOST, London, SW1X 7EJ

[ROB]

Sorry to hear about your friend Luke.

[Author]

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