Singapore Fire: 4 Indian Migrants Honoured for Rescuing Pawan Kalyan’s Son, 15 Kids

The Singapore government has honoured four Indian migrant workers who bravely rescued Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan’s son and 15 other children trapped in a shophouse fire in River Valley.

Six adults and 16 children were stranded on the third floor of the shophouse, which housed a children’s enrichment centre. The fire left them trapped inside until help arrived.

The four workers — Inderjit Singh, Subramanian Saranraj, Nagarajan Anbarasan, and Sivasami Vijayaraj — were recognised with the ‘Friends of ACE’ coins by the Manpower Ministry’s Assurance, Care and Engagement (ACE) Group, which supports the well-being of migrant workers in the city-state.

“Their quick thinking and bravery made all the difference… Thank you for reminding us of the power of community in times of need,” the Ministry said, as quoted by Friday Tabla, a local daily.

Recalling the harrowing incident on April 8, Subramanian Saranraj shared that he had just dropped off workers at Valley Lodge Condominium for renovation work around 9:40 a.m. when he noticed a commotion outside the shophouse.

A native of Tamil Nadu, the 34-year-old said he got out of his lorry and saw thick smoke billowing from a window, as a male teacher shouted for help.

Nagarajan Anbarasan, 37, Saranraj’s colleague, said, “We too have children. If it had been our kids, would we have stood by and done nothing?”

The workers explained that they couldn't locate the stairs due to the heavy smoke, which was rapidly worsening. Instead, they made the decision to rescue the children through the window.

According to Tabla, staff inside the shophouse handed the children out one by one onto a ledge, where the workers formed a human chain and safely passed them down.

In the 10 minutes before the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) arrived, the migrant workers had saved 10 children.

Among those rescued was Pawan Kalyan’s 10-year-old son, Mark Shankar Pawanovich, who underwent a bronchoscopy and is reportedly out of danger. Tragically, a 10-year-old Australian girl succumbed to her injuries.

According to a Hindustan Times report, Investigations revealed that the building was in violation of its approved usage. While the enrichment centre was authorised to operate on the first floor, the upper floors were designated for residential use.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has confirmed that investigations are ongoing. Anyone found guilty of unauthorised use of premises may face fines of up to SGD 200,000.