'I did what anyone would have done': Bus driver who put out fire in lorry in Tuas

SINGAPORE - Bus driver Thian Siew Mui was driving her usual route in Tuas on Thursday morning (Sept 26) when she noticed that the side of a lorry had caught fire and rushed to put the fire out.

Ms Thian, 38, had just dropped off some passengers at the bus stop opposite the West Star industrial building near Tuas South Avenue 5. She was driving off when she noticed the lorry on fire.

She sounded the horn at the lorry driver to alert him to the fire. The driver of another lorry, which was ferrying workers, also alerted his fellow driver by sounding the horn.

All three vehicles stopped at the side of the road, and both lorry drivers tried to put out the fire in vain with three bottles of mineral water.

Ms Thian asked the 50 passengers on bus service 247 to wait, before grabbing a fire extinguisher and running to the lorry. She quickly put out the fire.

A video that is being circulated on Facebook, seemingly taken by a passenger on the bus, shows Ms Thian swiftly extinguishing the flames in the lorry and checking if the fire had been put out, before returning to the bus.

In a statement issued by SBS Transit, Ms Thian said: "I just wanted to quickly help the lorry driver who looked helpless and at the same time, ensure that my passengers could continue with their journeys quickly."

This is the first time Ms Thian has dealt with a fire outside of her safety training at SBS Transit.

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"I did what anyone would have done in the situation and I'm glad that my training came to good use," said Ms Thian, who has been with SBS Transit for nine years.

SBS Transit's senior vice-president of corporate communications Tammy Tan said that the company will be recognising Ms Thian for her bravery and civic-mindedness.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.