Toddler saved from ledge: 'I thought of my son back home', says Bangladeshi worker

SINGAPORE - A Bangladeshi worker had been cycling home after buying lunch when he came across a crowd of people gathered under Block 350C Canberra Road, most with their phones out, taking photos and videos.

Following their gaze, Mr Jahir, 34, who goes by only one name, was alarmed to see a three-year-old boy standing on the third-storey ledge of the flat, frozen in shock and staring blankly ahead.

On Oct 25, Mr Jahir, a lorry driver who has been in Singapore for more than 16 years, was one of two men presented with the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) Community Lifesaver Award for saving the boy.

A video clip of the child being led to safety from the ledge had gone viral. On Oct 20, the toddler was standing on the third-storey ledge of the flat at around 11.50am, as several worried onlookers gathered below.

Mr Jahir, who works for paper mill company Gee Ho Seng, had been cycling to his home nearby when he noticed the crowd and saw the child standing precariously close to the edge of the ledge.

Said Mr Jahir: “The moment I saw him, I thought of my seven-year-old son back home in Bangladesh. I just wanted to save the boy. There was no time to wait. I was worried he’d fall.”

Mr Jahir rushed up the stairs to the third storey to knock on the door of the flat, whose ledge the boy was on.

He pounded on the door, yelling and ringing the doorbell, but he received no response. Feeling frustrated, Mr Jahir decided to climb onto the ledge to save the boy.

When he tried to open a door on the third storey leading to the ledge, he found it locked. He then rushed down to the first floor to try and climb up to the ledge from there.

Mr Jahir saw four people holding a blanket under the boy, ready to catch him should he fall.

That was when Myanmar worker Sa Thu Ya Aung, a 26-year-old painter from Surface Solutions, approached him. Mr Thu Ya had been on his way to a church event when he saw the commotion.

He has a six-year-old niece and a four-year-old nephew, whom the boy reminded him of.

He said: “I was imagining my own niece and nephew up there. I would want someone to save them.”

Both men came up with a plan.

As Mr Jahir was taller, he would hoist Mr Thu Ya onto the second-storey ledge. Then, Mr Thu Ya would help Mr Jahir up. From there, Mr Jahir hoisted Mr Thu Ya onto the third-storey ledge, while remaining at the second storey to catch Mr Thu Ya should he fall.

Mr Thu Ya hugged the wall as he approached the boy slowly, afraid that sudden movements might scare the child and cause him to slip.

The ledge was only slightly wider than his foot, but Mr Thu Ya was unafraid.

He said: “I was so scared for the boy, I couldn’t even be scared for myself. Actually, I was more nervous of the crowd, because so many people were watching me.”

What made the rescue operation tricky were anxious people below shouting at them to be careful, and taking photos and videos.

After reaching the toddler, Mr Thu Ya scooped him into his arms.

He recalled: “The boy was so frightened, his hand was cold, and he held on tightly to my shoulders.”

One of the flat’s windows was slightly ajar, so Mr Thu Ya pushed it open and placed the boy inside the unit.

The Straits Times reported earlier that Mr Thu Ya had discovered there was an adult inside.

Mr Jahir helped him down to the second-storey floor, before they descended to the first floor.

On Oct 25, both men were commended at the 3rd SCDF Division Headquarters in Yishun Industrial Park A for their bravery.

The SCDF Community Lifesaver Award is presented to members of the public whose actions involve an element of self-risk and/or contributed to saving lives.

Mr Jahir said: “The award is just a bonus. The real reward is I was able to save the boy.”

On Oct 25, the police said a 25-year-old woman was assisting with investigations into a case of negligent act.

SCDF commander Lim Beng Hui said: “I’m deeply heartened by the bravery of Mr Thu Ya and Mr Jahir, whose courageous actions and swift response saved a precious life. I hope their public-spirited acts will inspire more people to come forward and render help to others in distress.”

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