Bangladeshi worker saves children from shophouse fire in Singapore

Shakil Mohammad, a 35-year-old Bangladeshi construction worker, sprang into action to save children trapped in a burning shophouse in Singapore's River Valley area on 8 April.

Hearing screams from a nearby building, he and his fellow workers used a ladder from their site to rescue the children trapped on a third-floor ledge.

Speaking to The Straits Times on 9 April, Shakil said, "The children wanted to jump. I shouted, 'Don't jump! I will help you.'" He was second on the ladder, with another worker above him grabbing children and passing them to him.

The building housed the Tomato Cooking School, known for hosting cooking lessons and camps for children.

Shakil, who has been working in Singapore since 2018, said one girl he carried was unconscious. "She wasn't moving. The fire was so hot…But even if I died, it didn't matter – I had to save the children."

He believes they rescued about 10 children.

"There were still three more children inside. I wanted to go in, but the flames were too big. I can't describe how much my heart hurts," he added.

The tragic fire resulted in the death of a 10-year-old girl and left 21 others injured. The girl was confirmed dead after being taken to the hospital. The victims included six adults aged 23 to 55 and 16 children between six and 10 years old.

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed the deceased girl was Australian and said consular support was being provided to her family.

Authorities, including the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and the police, were alerted around 9:45am. Investigations are ongoing.

The cooking school said in a Facebook post on 9 April that it was devastated by the tragedy and is cooperating fully with investigators. They requested privacy for the affected families.

Eyewitnesses described harrowing scenes. Zainal Zin, a 56-year-old furniture store worker, saw burned and injured children running out, some unconscious and carried by firefighters. 

"I can't forget their faces. It's heartbreaking," he said.

Passers-by, including construction workers, used metal scaffolding and ladders to help rescue those trapped above.

Dani Rahmat, a nearby barber, praised the migrant workers, saying, "They were incredibly selfless – what they did was heroic."

As of 9 April afternoon, the fire scene remained cordoned off, with several bouquets of flowers laid nearby. SCDF officers returned for investigations and mentioned they are reaching out to those who assisted, including Shakil, to present them with the SCDF Community Lifesaver Award.

Reports also confirmed that Mark Shankar, son of Indian politician Pawan Kalyan, was injured in the fire and underwent treatment. His life is not in danger. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly called to check on Mark's condition.

This incident marks Singapore's fourth fire-related fatality in 2025. In January, a family of three died in a separate fire in Hougang.

SCDF statistics show five fire-related deaths in 2024, up from three the previous year.