Two groups of Good Samaritans sprang into action the last two days - the first to help a boy trapped under a car after an accident, the second to warn other road users to avoid an exposed manhole.
The sight of a lorry swerving to avoid an exposed manhole in Jalan Bahar spurred several Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers and passers-by to do something about the problem yesterday.
SCDF fire biker Muhammad Hilmi Mohammad Fuad, 31, was travelling out of the Civil Defence Academy at around 10.45am when he saw the open manhole on the three-lane road. The senior staff sergeant rallied six others in the vicinity, including off-duty SCDF officers, to help.
While some helped to direct traffic, others used barricades from a construction site to channel traffic away safely, SCDF said in response to queries. Videos show them lining up the barricades across the rightmost lane on the road.
The Straits Times understands that the cover was found several metres away from the manhole. Traffic Police officers later arrived at the scene to direct traffic.
In response to queries from ST, PUB said it was alerted to the dislodged manhole cover at around 11am and sent officers to the site. "A 50m section of the road was temporarily barricaded to facilitate works to replace the manhole cover. Works were completed at 7.15pm this evening," said the spokesman.
This is the second time in a month that SCDF officers have gone beyond the call of duty.
On Jan 8, about 30 firefighters from Changi Fire Station helped to rescue six vehicles stranded due to a flash flood. The firefighters had noticed the vehicles stalling in front of the fire station, in Upper Changi Road, after a heavy downpour.
In another incident at around 3.50pm on Wednesday, several passers-by went to the rescue of a nine-year-old boy. He had been hit by a car while using a raised zebra crossing in Geylang East Avenue 1, reported Shin Min Daily News.
According to eyewitnesses, eight or nine members of the public rushed to the boy's aid, and attempted to lift the car to free him. Within five minutes, they managed to free the boy, who emerged with his legs covered in blood, according to a bystander.
Police said they were alerted to an accident involving a car and a pedestrian in Geylang East Avenue 1 at 3.51pm. The boy was taken to KK Women's and Children's Hospital, added the spokesman.
Police investigations are ongoing.
