4 police officers on patrol save pantless man from burning North Bridge Road flat

While on patrol with three colleagues from the Rochor Neighbourhood Police Centre, Station Inspector Muhammad Aniq, 38, noticed a burning smell when they were at the foot of Block 7 North Bridge Road.

He tried to see if there was a visible source nearby but found none.

Then he looked up and saw smoke rising from one of the flats.

The four officers quickly sprang into action. One pair rushed up to the 11th-floor burning unit, and another pair went looking for ways to fight the fire.

Man in flat

When Aniq and his partner, Sergeant Mohamed Fayyaz, 23, arrived at the burning unit, they found a man trapped inside without any clothes.

The panicking man was clutching some garments and the gate, struggling to open the metal gate, Fayyaz explained.

With smoke continuing to billow out of the flat, they tried to calm him down and soon figured out that the keys to the gate might be in the man’s pants.

But that pair of pants was sealed shut, scorched by the fire.

They eventually managed to tear open the pants to retrieve the keys — only to find that it was a whole bunch of keys and the man was of no help in opening his own gate.

So they had to try them one by one.

“By the third key, my eyes were watering,” Aniq said.

The fire was spreading, and the thickening smoke forced them to squat as they examined the keys.

Fortunately, the third key worked, allowing Aniq to open the door and lead the man to safety.

However, as Aniq was trying to find a blanket to cover the man, still naked and terrified, the man pointed to his right thigh.

That was when Aniq realized the man had sustained injuries from the fire.

He was eventually taken to the hospital.

Putting out the fire

Meanwhile, Sergeant Tong Siang Chong, 34, and his partner, Special Constable Armand Wagner, 20, retrieved a fire extinguisher from their vehicle.

Although they knew firefighters were coming, Tong felt compelled to contain the fire and prevent further damage.

“I decided to do what I can,” he said.

When they arrived at the flat with the fire extinguisher, Chong quickly located the fire in the living room and managed to put out the fire.

While Chong went up to the unit, Wagner alerted residents on the 12th floor to evacuate.

Having only been on the job for two months as part of his national service, Wagner had not encountered many similar situations but could strongly feel the trust his team had shown him.

"We have each other's back."

Biggest fire they encountered on their patrol

Aniq, with 15 years of experience,  shared that this was one of the largest fires he has encountered.

The Ground Response Force (GRF) rarely responds to fire emergencies, and when they do, it usually involves smaller localised fires, like a burning pot.

Despite not having encountered a bigger fire before, the officers acted without hesitation — even though they were not as proficient at firefighting as their peers from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

Their priority was to help anyone in need, Fayyaz said.

“When we see someone live in danger, I think our priorities are to save that guy's life,” he stated.

Having successfully completed their mission, the officers will receive the “SCDF Community Life Award” later this month.

But for these four valiant officers, validation is not their motivation.

Becoming a police officer

The four come from different backgrounds but share the same aspirations when they joined the police force: to serve the community and keep Singapore safe.

For Chong, who switched careers to join the police force five years ago, being an officer is his way of giving back.

Appreciation from those he helps affirms that he is making a difference.

For Wagner and Fayyaz, their passion developed while serving in their national service.

Fayyaz signed on two months ago after completing his national service and said, “I told myself that if I have the same passion and mindset even after I ORD (Operationally Ready Date), I will continue it as my full-time career.”

Fortunately, when he applied, he was able to return to the same division.

“Being on the GRF team is a type of work you won't get bored of because every day we encounter different things,” the 23-year-old said.

He added that, most importantly, they can give back to the community and make a direct impact through their work.

Aniq echoed similar sentiments, saying his favourite part of the job is making someone smile after helping them.

As he spoke, the smile on his face reflected genuine pride in his work.

Top photos by Khine Zin Htet