It was team effort, says plucky worker who saved boy on ledge
Bangladeshi says his colleague and Hougang residents helped in rescue effort
He was the one captured on video plucking the terrified boy off the third-storey ledge to safety. But Mr Das Dipto, 27, said there were many others who helped make the rescue possible.
Speaking to The New Paper yesterday, the worker from Bangladesh said he was proud to have helped in the rescue of the six-year-old on Sunday morning.
The boy was trapped on a narrow third-storey ledge of a Housing Board flat in Hougang, after he allegedly climbed out of his home through a window while his mother was out.
Mr Dipto, who was with a group of migrant workers nearby when he heard the commotion, was seen on video using a spider lift to reach the boy, bringing him to safety as onlookers cheered.
Yesterday, he paid tribute to many others for their contribution, including his colleague Biswas Jibom.
"Biswas helped me and we worked as a two-person team, with him signalling while I moved the lift," he said.
"There were also others, like a man living nearby who called us to help and also checked on the boy."
He added that other residents had also helped by looking for the boy's mother and checking on the unit.
Mr Dipto, who has been working here for eight years, said his mother back in his home town had seen the video and said she was proud of him. His friends in Bangladesh were the frst to see the video and they ran all the way to his mother's home to show it to her.
"My family is proud of me, and many people have been calling, including my company, saying they are happy," he said.
Mr Dipto's employer, Yong Aik Construction, said it was looking into a reward for his heroics. A spokesman for the company said: "Mr Dipto did not hesitate to save the boy, and the company will be commending him for his good job.
"The management is discussing how we can reward him."
Mr Dipto said he was thankful for the encouragement and praise but added that it was his duty to help others.
"When we saw the boy, we were thinking only about how to save him. We must help others, no matter who, because they are our fellow man."
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
