When netizens watched video clips of an exploding Trans-Cab taxi last Sunday, they thought a firefighter who had been enveloped by the flames had died.

Not only did Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) full-time national serviceman Eka Putra survive, he told The New Paper he is recovering fast and is now at home.

Even Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has wished him well, praising him and his colleagues for constantly putting themselves in harm’s way to protect Singaporeans.

The taxi and a car had been involved in an accident on Commonwealth Avenue, near Buona Vista MRT station, on Sunday at about 2.15pm. The taxi then caught fire.

In video clips posted online, Mr Putra and a colleague are seen approaching the burning taxi.

Mr Putra had a compressed air foam backpack to put out the blaze. Seconds after they approach the burning vehicle, the taxi explodes, with the flames enveloping Mr Putra.

Miraculously, the fireman from Clementi Fire Station walks away from the scene and is later taken to the National University Hospital (NUH) along with three other casualties.

The SCDF said on its Facebook page he was discharged from NUH on Sunday evening, hours after the incident.

Mr Putra said he had sustained first degree burns on his face and neck.

After the incident, Mr Putra tweeted in Malay: “Thank you God cause u protected me.”

He later said on Twitter he had been given seven days’ medical leave.

An avid motorcyclist, he called his station mates his second family and uploaded several pictures of them onto his Facebook page.

On Monday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong called Mr Putra and his colleague brave for running towards danger to save lives and help others.

Mr Lee added: “Good to learn that the firefighter caught in the blast is ok. He only suffered minor burns, and has been discharged.

“Hope he and the others injured recover soon. The Home Team works hard to protect Singapore and Singaporeans.”

Many netizens expressed their relief that Mr Putra had sustained only minor injuries.

Facebook user Grace Ng thanked SCDF and police officers for their work.

She said: “So glad to hear you are safe.

“This is a reminder to me how much the fire fighters and police are doing (for Singapore).”

tnp@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on May 03, 2017.
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Update at 9.40pm:

Mr Lim’s gesture has not been met with much positivity from both netizens and cabbies alike, as a lack of crowds at The Yang’s Traditional Hainanese Chicken Rice along Serangoon Road might also suggest.

A Stomp journalist asked her father, who has been a taxi driver for almost two decades, why he did not visit the stall for a free meal.

His response was, “Those who truly support the taxi community and its drivers will never go for it.”

Stomp has also received similar sentiments from its readers.

Facebook user Vin Chong said, “Others received the offers, I have no comments. But I will never accept the offer, thanks.”

Netizen Joseph Wong also commented, “Please, we, taxi drivers, are also self-employed like you. Just to remind you that as a taxi driver, that does not mean that we are uneducated or poor as you think. Btw, I never regretted being a taxi driver.”

Original article:

After being caught on camera taunting a cabby and flaunting his wealth, the boss of a chicken rice business in Singapore treated all taxi drivers to a free meal today (May 2).

Mr Gary Lim, 37, sparked national outrage after he was filmed mocking a taxi driver and telling the latter that he “cannot achieve great things” because of his profession.

Netizens later identified Mr Lim, who apologised and promised to give out 200 packets of chicken rice to all cabbies from 3pm to 5pm today.

The giveaway was held at Mr Lim’s two restaurants — Yeo Keng Nam restaurant at Braddell Road and The Yang’s Traditional Hainanese Chicken Rice at Serangoon Road.

Stomp visited Serangoon outlet at around 2.30pm this afternoon and saw staff preparing the chicken to be given out.

Taxi driver Yu Fook Wah was all smiles when he arrived at the shop on the dot at 3pm, where he received a packet of chicken rice ($4.10 including GST) and a canned green tea ($1.80) for free.

He told reporters at the scene that the rice was delicious and felt that Mr Lim’s gesture was a sincere one.

Mr Yu was the only cabby to have visited the shop and gotten his free meal in the one and a half hours that the Stomp Team was there.

However, response at the Braddell outlet appeared to be much better.

According to The Straits Times, the eatery started giving away free chicken rice at 10am, with 40 to 50 packets given out by 3pm.

Manager Liu Ah Zhong said that there was no limit to the number of packets they were distributing, as taxi drivers did not have predictable meal times.

Anyone who says he or she is a cabby will be able to receive the free chicken rice and a canned drink, with no checks being conducted.

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