Nov 28, 2008 9:57 pm US/Eastern
Brockton Couple Survives Taj Mahal Attack
BROCKTON (WBZ) ―
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Willy and Gerry Stadelmann say they have never appreciated home so much after surviving the terrorist attacks in India.
WBZ
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Flames and smoke gush out of the historic historic Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai on Nov. 27, 2008, one of the sites of attacks by alleged militant gunmen.
Indranil Mukherjee/AFP/Getty Images
A Brockton couple is safe after being trapped in an
Indian hotel that was attacked by terrorists.
William and Geraldine Stadelmann arrived back in Massachusetts on Friday after being trapped for 16 hours at the Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai, India, when terrorists attacked Wednesday night.
The 66-year-old Stadelmann said he and his wife, who goes by Gerry, thought the loud explosion was fireworks but then looked out to see "an inferno." He said the two huddled together under wet blankets under the glow of flames hovering around their room.
"The fire was worse than the terrorists, you know," Stadelmann said.
"Oh, I don't know that it's worse than terrorists!" Gerry Stadelmann said.
The two said they never actually saw the terrorists because they received a call from hotel security telling them to lock their doors and not to let anyone inside. Security told them there were armed terrorists in the hotel.
The couple remained in their room for hours, uncertain who was waiting outside.
"It was in our face," Gerry said. "We saw people jumping off the roof."
They left the hotel after the Indian army arrived.
"They kept saying, 'Ma'me, stay against the wall, stay against the wall,'" Gerry described. "They stopped at every single turn."
"It took a long time to get out," William said.
"Water was everywhere. We saw blood everywhere," Gerry added.
The couple was on a four-week tour of the region and have been told that some of the those on their tour were killed in the attack.
"I think we're still in shock," Gerry said.
"Maybe it'll be a lot worse later," William said.
The Stadelmanns are life-long city residents and have five children and four grandchildren.
When asked if they plan to go on vacation again any time soon, they both said they have never appreciated home so much.
More than 150 people have been killed since gunmen attacked 10 sites in Mumbai.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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