PUBLISHED ONJanuary 20, 2026 2:25 PMUPDATEDJanuary 21, 2026 8:18 AMBYSean LerBus captains have received plaudits in recent weeks for jumping into "hot situations" to put out fires, and it seems this trend is not stopping.
In a series of Instagram stories posted to his account, user milokopipeng shared videos showing a Tower Transit bus captain of service 858 putting out a vegetation fire in Sengkang.
"Just as I thought the service 858 bus driver for my bus is driving off, he actually helped extinguish the fire...He later on apologised to the passengers for the delay," the user wrote.
The incident happened at about 12.10am on Tuesday (Jan 20), at a bus stop before Punggol Road and along the Tampines Expressway.
In the video, the bus captain is seen approaching a bush fire behind the bus stop with a fire extinguisher, calmly douses the fire, and observes before going in for a second pass.
He appeared unfazed even as commuters passed him.
#DidYouKnow that buses in Singapore are equipped with fire extinguishers and first aid kit, and that our bus captains are trained in basic firefighting and lifesaving skills? On Tuesday (Jan 20) morning, a Tower Transit bus captain of service 858 helped battle a vegetation fire in Sengkang. Another day, another brave bus captain showing us that #notallheroeswearcapes . #sgnews #Singapore #Fire #Brave
In response to AsiaOne's queries on Tuesday, Tower Transit Singapore confirmed that it is aware of the incident and will provide an update in due course, adding that its bus captains are trained in basic firefighting and first aid.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force told AsiaOne that the fire involved vegetation measuring approximately half-a-metre by half-a-metre.
It said that firefighters extinguished the fire with a hose reel, adding that no injuries were reported in the incident.
In an updated statement on Wednesday, SCDF said that it will be reaching out to some members of the public who had attempted to put out the fire before firefighters arrived.
They will be commended for their public spirited acts.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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