‘True heroes’: Migrant workers who rescued those trapped in River Valley Road fire showered with praise

SINGAPORE: The group of migrant workers who lent a hand when the fire at River Valley Road broke out this week and helped to rescue those who were trapped are being showered with praise by Singaporeans. The workers’ heroic actions have also been recognized by the authorities, and they have been presented with the “Friends of ACE” coins as tokens of appreciation.

The River Valley Road fire left four adults and 15 children between the ages of six and 10 with injuries. A 10-year-old girl has since succumbed to her injuries in the hospital.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) has since reported that the shophouse on River Valley Road where the fire broke out had violated fire safety regulations. Revealing that illegal partitions had been erected inside the shophouse, SCDF said that the fire may have originated from a storage area on the second floor of the shophouse.

Those responsible for the unit may face a fine of up to S$200,000 and/or up to 24 months in prison, if they are found guilty of flouting fire safety regulations.

While the incident has shocked Singaporeans, many have expressed gratitude to the migrant workers who braved the blaze to rescue the little ones, without hesitation. The way the men also referred to the children stuck in the fire as “babies,” also melted many hearts.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has also joined the chorus of praise. MOM said on Facebook on Wednesday (Apr 9), “When a fire broke out at a River Valley shophouse on Tuesday, a group of migrant workers and civilians rushed to the scene to help. Their quick thinking and bravery made all the difference.

“As a token of appreciation, ACE Group will be recognising the migrant workers for their selfless courage. Four of these migrant workers—Inderjit Singh, Subramanian Saranraj, Nagarajan Anbarasan, and Sivasami Vijayaraj— received their Friends of ACE coins today.”

The Ministry added, “Thank you for reminding us of the power of community in times of need.”

Singaporeans online are calling Inderjit, Subramanian, Nagarajan, and Sivasami true heroes. Some are calling on the Government to award the four men with the public spiritedness award, while others are urging the Government to acknowledge their selfless help with something more substantial to uplift their lives and the lives of their family back in India.