Two migrant workers were commemorated by the Singapore Civil Defense Force (SCDF) on Wednesday (6 Jan) for their heroic act in rescuing a young boy from a window ledge at a HDB flat in Hougang last weekend.
The incident took place earlier on Sunday morning (3 Jan) when Mr Das Dipto, a 27-year-old landscape maintenance worker, was cleaning a boom lift with his colleague, Mr Biswas Jibom – which they had used for pruning trees – when a passer-by approached them to ask for their help in saving a boy who was stranded on a third-floor kitchen ledge at a nearby HDB flat.
According to the SCDF in a Facebook post yesterday, Mr Dipto carefully steered the machinery with the boom lift down a narrow path towards the HDB block, while Mr Jibom was directing him and ensuring that the path ahead was clear.
He then saw the frightened boy “precariously standing on the ledge, crying and grabbing onto a laundry pole”.
“Mr Dipto raised the boom lift’s platform towards the boy while calmly assuring the boy that he was there to rescue him. Within minutes, Mr Dipto reached out with both his arms, lifted the boy onto the platform and lowered him to safety, much to the relief and rousing cheers from a crowd of onlookers,” SCDF recounted.
The boy was already in safe hands by the time SCDF arrived at the scene. SCDF paramedics then proceeded to assess the boy, who apparently did not require any medical assistance.
For their “quick-thinking and selfless act”, Mr Dipto and Mr Jibom were awarded the SCDF’s Community Lifesaver Award from 3rd SCDF Division Commander COL Lim Han Chee yesterday.
SCDF also thanked the duo for their “commendable act”.
Video of Mr Dipto and Mr Jibom in action
In a video that has been circulating on social media, a young boy can be seen standing on the ledge outside the window of a flat, grabbing onto the laundry poles as Mr Dipto approaches him in a boom lift.
After carefully navigating the boom lift towards the child – with the help of Mr Jibom – Mr Dipto gently carries the boy off the ledge and onto the boom lift.
Cheers and applauses can be heard from onlookers at the scene following the heroic event.
“At last my life is a good job”, says Mr Dipto following the incident
In a Facebook post on Monday (4 Jan), Mr Dipto, who goes by the name Kûâšhâ Ďâš on the platform, identified himself as the man on the boom lift who saved the young boy on Sunday morning.
“At last my life is a good job,” he remarked, as he give thanks to God.
“At a work time I saving one children life in Singapore..at last my life is a good job..l pray for the God i doing the work properly”
In his post, Mr Dipto also attached several pictures of his heroic action that were taken at the scene by onlookers.
