His exhausted team had done all they could.
For many hours they had bravely and meticulously searched the dangerous rubble of a collapsed supermarket.
An earthquake had razed it to the ground in Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. They were trying to find, and listening for the cries of buried survivors.
Realistically there was little else they could do.
READ MORE:
But Pete Stevenson stood fast in the face of the devastation. He was not ready to quit.
For one colleague the moment captured the essence of the man, who has died, aged 60, after a short illness.
Pete was in Haiti to lead the UK International Search and Rescue team.
During the same mission he and colleagues from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service did rescue Mia Charlet, aged two, who had been trapped for three days in her collapsed nursery, and three other people.
They later met Mia when they took to the stage at the Pride of Britain Awards.
The team were picking up an award for their part in the remarkable rescue in 2010, in which they used borrowed garden tools to pull Mia free, and then gave her a teddy bear to keep her calm.
Mia, and her mother, Marjorie Saint-Joie, made a surprise visit from Haiti to attend the televised ceremony.
Amazingly Mia suffered only cuts, bruises and dehydration from her ordeal.
That rescue in 2010 deservedly brought Pete global recognition. It came near the end of a 30-year distinguished career.
Retired senior firefighter, Dean Nankivell, who was a member of the rescue team in Haiti, said: "I have many memories of Pete but one that sums him up. There is a picture of him stood looking at a huge collapsed supermarket building in Haiti that we had been searching for hours.
"Knowing we had done everything possible he still wanted to continue. Always committed, he wanted to finish the job to the absolute highest standard."
Typically, at the award ceremony, Pete modestly emphasised it had been won through the efforts of many.
He said at the time: "I feel very privileged and proud to be accepting the award on behalf of the International Search and Rescue Team."
Pete, from Royton, Oldham, who has died, aged 60, after a short illness, was internationally recognised for his skills.
He worked with the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG), helping in the planning of search and rescue training for international teams.
He was one of the key people managing the UK International Search & Rescue (UKISAR) team and worked on the board.
He also managed the Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue ISAR and USAR teams (USAR – Urban Search & Rescue).
This included responding to the Kashmir earthquake near the city of Muzzaffarabad in Pakistan in 2005, which killed an estimated 70,000.
Pete led a team of seven firefighters from Greater Manchester during a week in the region, in which they helped with three rescues.
As well as the Haiti rescues, which came five years after Kashmir, he also led a team after an earthquake and tsunami in Japan in 2011.
Dean said: "Peter managed and led teams across the world and was respected by all team members for his commitment and tireless professionalism - often going for days without sleep, driven only by coffee. In the rescue of Mia who had been trapped alive for days, Peter oversaw it all."
A former Royton and Crompton High School pupil, Pete's career spanned 30 years with Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.
He served across the Oldham and Rochdale boroughs, working as a firefighter at Hollins fire station, and as station commander at Chadderton.
Whilst at Rochdale, he became infamous for his compering of the New Year's Eve parties for the crews.
He was promoted and joined the Operations Department as a Group Manager, identifying and testing specialist equipment and PPE for firefighters to use, based at Fire Service HQ in Pendlebury.
One of his specialist skills was as a Hazardous Materials (Hazmats) Officer and he regularly attended incidents across the region that involved chemical spillages, acetylene, radiation.
He played a key role in a fire service response to a huge ammonia leak in 2005 in which a man died at a cold storage depot in Lowton, Wigan.
He eventually left the Ops Department and became the Deputy Borough Commander of Rochdale, where he retired from in 2011.
Dean said: "His proudest moment was being awarded the MBE for his commitment to humanitarian response and a career-spanning professionalism."
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service Area Manager, and Head of Prevention, Paul Duggan, said: "Pete was a well respected and immensely experienced fire officer who worked in a number of key roles during his time with GMFRS.
"Pete combined a very practical, problem-solving nature with a tremendous knowledge in the field of fire and rescue incidents. He put this to use in dealing with the many incidents he attended in Greater Manchester and in his wider humanitarian work.
"At this difficult time our thoughts are with Pete's family and friends."
Pete's dedication to a tough job did not cease after retirement.
He went to work for the Aga Khan Development Network and was based in Tajikistan, supporting the local emergency responders with training, co-ordination, logistics and overall readiness for disaster response.
It often meant going to Pakistan and Afghanistan to support local rescue teams following earthquakes.
Dean Nankivell said: "Having worked with and for Pete Stevenson for a number of years both at incidents in Greater Manchester and abroad I only have complete admiration and thanks to offer.
"Pete was always positive, always offered encouragement and always put the team first, often to his own detriment. The only downside to Pete was when I shared a tent with him once in Haiti, he snored like a chainsaw."
Pete's passion outside the fire service was golf.
He was devoted to his wife, Deborah, and daughters, Sophie, Rhianna and Georgina.
He died in Oldham Royal Hospital on September 2nd.
His family have asked anyone who like to make a donation in his memory to do so to Cancer Research UK or the Firefighters Charity.
