Hero receives SCDF award
With a wet towel wrapped around his face, Mr Faizal Noorali, 33, rescued several neighbours on Monday when a fire broke out at an eighth-storey unit in Block 297C at Choa Chu Kang Avenue 2.
He was awarded the Public Spiritedness Award by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) yesterdayat Bukit Batok Fire Station. He was not told he would be getting the award, he said.
"I just got a call yesterday morning from the SCDF telling me to report to the fire station at 11am," he said.
"They didn't tell me anything else. Just to bring my family. I totally didn't expect anything to happen."
To his surprise, Mr Faizal, who was accompanied by his mother and fiancee, was given a grand welcome at the gates of the fire station by the officials before being led to a function room.
He had gone door-to-door to alert his neighbours of the fire despite the thick smoke, carrying a 76-year-old woman from the 11th storey to safety.
He also rescued a five-year-old girl from the 13th storey.
- Tan Tam Mei
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