https://www.hometeam.sg/article.aspx?news_sid=20131226rvcOJXav1UUE
By Corporal Mahadhir Bin Mohammad Rosechan, an NSFman who was right in the middle of the Little India riot on 08 December 2013.
In one of the most memorable scenes of the 2001 American classic, two soldiers were left to fend for themselves against a hostile mob.
While the scale of violence of the riots was nowhere near the movie, what Cpl Mahadhir didn't realize was that he was about to have his very own version of that scene.
On the night of 8 December 2013, Cpl Mahadhir along with three others were deployed to attend to a road traffic accident at Race Course Road.
When they arrived, the traffic accident they expected turned out to be a riot that escalated by the minute.
The NSFman described the scene as extremely chaotic and was shocked to see the bus that was involved in the accident being smashed from all sides; an image most Singaporeans are now familiar with.
While he was helping his section commander assess the situation, he was pulled by people in the crowd who directed him to the body that was pinned underneath the rear wheel of the bus.
Immediately upon looking at the body, Cpl Mahadhir knew that the person was already dead. Cpl Mahadhir then informed his section commander who wasted no time by calling for assistance.
While waiting for the ambulance crew, the two men used a hydraulic spreader and hand pump to prop up the middle of the vehicle, giving them space to extricate the body.
As both men were trying to do this, the crowds were quickly growing in numbers and getting increasingly violent.
"The situation was very chaotic to the point that they were throwing stuff. The worst part was that there were drain covers being thrown right in front of the both of us," he said.
In the midst of the furore, Cpl Mahadhir suffered injuries to his left rib and right knee. The most hardened firefighter would find the situation both physically and mentally challenging.
When asked whether he felt his life was in danger during the riots, Cpl Mahadhir expressed a myriad of emotions and showed a resilience way beyond his 22 years.
"At first I was scared of not being able to come home, but I focused myself and started to think of how to apply my training. I was more concerned with the safety of the crowd and my fellow officers, and bringing the casualty to safety," he said.
With six months left of his national service, Cpl Mahadhir imparted some advice to aspiring firefighters and those currently undergoing the rigorous firefighting course at the Civil Defence Academy.
"You don't need a cape or red underwear to be a superhero, all you need is courage, your firefighting skills, and your fullest attention towards your mission and you'll make it through."
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