Sukanta Singha Roy never said “no” to the call of duty, his colleagues and family members said on Wednesday, hours after he was electrocuted while trying to chop a tree that had fallen on an electric pole in Howrah.

The 27-year-old had joined the state fire and emergency services department in 2016.

The youngest in his family, Roy is survived by his parents Susanta Singha Roy, 64, and Bijoli Singha Roy, 56, and a brother, Sudipto, who too is attached with the state fire and emergency services department.

Roy had recently saved a child who fell into a well in Belur, a family member said. Roy had climbed down into the well and rescued the child.

“He would always be the first to respond. He was neither scared of heights nor the depths of water. Unfortunately, his bravery did not yield results today,” Roy’s cousin Pralay Singha Roy said.

Roy was a part of the team from Bally fire station that had reached Belur to clear that area of a tree that had fallen on a lamp post and snapped overhead high-tension wires.

There have been allegations against CESC of misinformation that power supply had been turned off before Roy scaled a ladder with a saw in hand. Minutes later he was electrocuted.

Roy had joined the department as a member of the contractual staff in 2016. His contract had been renewed annually every year since then, Dipankar Pathak, the Howrah divisional officer of the fire department, said.

“He used to perform his duties meticulously. Initially, he was posted in the south Calcutta division. He was posted in Bally from 2017,” Pathak said.

The family got to know in the afternoon that he had been electrocuted. They reached the hospital where he had already been declared dead.

“I have nothing to say, except that this should not happen to anyone else’s son,” Roy’s father said.

Roy did his schooling and college in Hooghly district.

“Today was the first day of his duty after Cyclone Amphan. He had always been very brave. He was excited to be part of rescue teams that were trying to help restore electricity and provide relief to people,” Roy’s cousin said.

His body returned home, wrapped in the Tricolour.

Several fire officers paid floral tribute and posted his photographs on social media.