Hong Kong actor Wong He directs traffic at intersection after lights stop working

Wong He is best known for his role as a firefighter in TVB's Burning Flame series, but the actor recently proved that he was a real-life hero when he stepped in to direct traffic at a busy intersection in Mong Kok after its lights stopped working.

Clips of the incident posted on Facebook showed the 52-year-old, also known as Wang Xi, smiling and giving fans thumbs-up signs as he expertly directed vehicles from different lanes to move across the intersection.

He explained to reporters that he had been passing by the area on Friday (Oct 12) at 4.20pm when he saw the intersection packed with vehicles.

The traffic lights were not working and a young man who was trying to direct traffic at the time did not seem to have proper training.

Wong He, who served in the Royal Hong Kong Police as an airport officer and a Police Tactical Unit member before becoming an actor in the 90s, decided to stop and help.

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According to Wong He, he directed traffic for about 20 minutes before the police arrived on the scene and took over.

Netizens took to social media to heap praise on the actor for his kind actions.

But this isn't the first time that He has saved the day.

In 1989, Wong He, who was still serving as a police officer at the time, rushed into a burning building to save two of his colleagues.

The dramatic rescue was recognised by the police in 2010 as one of the top 10 heroic acts in the history of the force.

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Since Wong He made the switch to acting, he has starred in numerous iconic 2000s TVB dramas including Net Decepticon, Doomed to Oblivion and C.I.B. Files.

Last month, he stirred controversy with Jing Gun, or Police Baton, a four-minute mockumentary uploaded to his Facebook page that spoke out against police brutality in Hong Kong.

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kimberlylim@asiaone.com