Bus captain who fought Sengkang vegetation fire rushes to register marriage in Malaysia after shift ends

Tower Transit bus captain of service 858 Lim Chwin Chien, who was seen on video helping to put out a vegetation fire, had to rush home to register his marriage in Malaysia after his shift ended.

The fire happened at about 12.10 am on Tuesday (Jan 20) behind a bus stop before Punggol Road and along the Tampines Expressway.

@asiaone #DidYouKnow that buses in Singapore are equipped with fire extinguishers and first aid kits, and that bus captains are trained in basic firefighting and lifesaving skills? On Tuesday (Jan 20) morning, a Tower Transit bus captain of service 858 helped battle a vegetation fire in Sengkang. Another day, another brave bus captain showing us that #NotAllHeroesWearCapes. ⁠ #sgnews #Singapore #Fire ♬ original sound - AsiaOne

In an interview with AsiaOne on Wednesday (Jan 21), the 32-year-old revealed that he did not know that the video had begun to gain traction on social media. 

"I didn't think much about it at all. I did it (fought the fire) as I was worried that the fire would get bigger and cause harm or injury to commuters waiting at the bus stop.

"So, when a passenger alighted, I asked him to help inform the emergency services." 

He was seen on video calmly dousing the fire, then stopping to observe for a brief moment, before going in for a second pass.

Lim said that this was because the conditions were windy, resulting in the fire rekindling shortly after his first attempt.

"After that, I went back to the bus and apologised to my passengers for the wait," he added with a tinge of concern that his actions may have affected the schedules of some passengers.

Asked by AsiaOne about Lim's concerns, Glenn Lim, director of communications and customer experience at Tower Transit, said: "Tower Transit Singapore (TTS) is proud of Chwin Chien for stepping in to put out the fire and for keeping commuters safe from harm. He will be recognised with TTS' Superstar award." 

According to the bus operator, the award is given to frontline staff who "go above and beyond". 

More accolades are coming Lim's way. He will be recognised for his actions by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) on Feb 13.

In a statement on Wednesday, SCDF said that Lim will be presented with the SCDF Community First Responder award.

When told of his awards, the shy bus captain, who has four years of experience, simply said: "Maybe this is an auspicious sign (for my wedding)."

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editor@asiaone.com