Mohamed Ferdaus Mohamed Yusoff, a MRT station employee, saved a 5-year-old boy hanging off the side of a moving escalator at Sixth Avenue MRT station, on Sep. 24.

According to Straits Times (ST), Ferdaus, a senior assistant manager with SBS Transit, which operates the Downtown Line, had dashed up the moving escalator, grabbed hold of the boy and hauled him over the handrail.

An eyewitness described the scene as something "out of a drama".

Hurt himself in the process

The 39-year-old MRT staff recounted the incident to ST, saying that he had heard a loud commotion and saw the boy hanging off the escalator with one arm and leg dangling.

Before the incident happened, he saw the boy entering the MRT station with his mother, who was pushing a stroller, with another child in tow.

The boy was trailing behind his mother as they walked along the platform, where the boy started playing with the handrail at the base of an upward-moving escalator. He held on to the handrail as it continued moving upwards.

When Ferdaus saw what happened, he instinctively dropped his work pouch and dashed up the escalator.

After hauling the boy over the handrail, he lost his balance and fell on the steps of the moving escalator, hurting his knee.

However, he held the boy tightly and hit the emergency stop button.

Eyewitnesses dumbfounded

An eyewitness, Tan, lauded Ferdaus's heroic act.

Especially since everyone else was apparently too shocked to react.

She also told ST that Ferdaus took a while to stand up and was limping after saving the boy.

Ferdaus added that the boy had hardly uttered a word after the incident, quickly rejoining his mother, who seemed shaken by the encounter.

He has rightfully been applauded for his actions.

Commended by SBS Transit for heroism

SBS Transit's Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications Tammy Tan lauded Ferdaus for his heroic deed, stating that the company was very proud of him.

He was on medical leave the day after the incident and returned to work on Sep. 26, walking with a slight limp and a bruised knee.

Ferdaus, who is married with two children, said to ST:

"I can understand how the mum must have been feeling at that moment.

I was just doing what I could. If it is to save a life, like in this case, I will save a life."

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