School bus driver rescues father, son from burning car

Dubai - Binu Kumar was on his way back home when he saw a car bursting into flames in a crowded area in Vaikom, Kerala.

A Gems Education school bus driver in Kerala jumped into a burning car and rescued a man and his son from the vehicle. 
Binu Kumar was on his way back home when he saw a car bursting into flames in a crowded area in Vaikom, Kerala.
Kumar stopped his bike on the roadside and rushed to the scene only to find a man and his son stuck inside the fire-engulfed car. Being a driver, Kumar could quickly assess the danger.
"I could see thick smoke billowing from the car and saw two persons trapped inside and crying for help," he said. But despite their plea for help, onlookers were unwilling to rescue them.
Without losing time, Kumar broke open the window glass and pulled out the man and the child after swiftly opening the door. Within minutes, the car was totally engulfed in fire and gutted.
Kumar, who has also undertaken training in fire and safety, single-handedly saved the two and informed the nearby fire service about the incident.
"We are incredibly proud of all our bus drivers, but Binu went above and beyond. He is truly a real life super hero. The sincerity, skill and courage exhibited by Binu is matchless. He promptly saved the father and the son selflessly without fearing for his life. We also took an opportunity to appreciate him during regular assembly for students and informed parents through weekly updates. Kumar continues to perform his daily duties by driving our students of GMA safely to school and back," said Hillary Hinchliff, principal of the Gems Modern Academy in Kochi, where Kumar works.
Kumar's heroic act was published in a regional newspaper and he was honoured for his act of bravery by the town police and local authorities along with other citizen groups. He was also presented a personal gift by Sir Christopher Stone, Global Chief Education Officer at GEMS Education, as a mark of recognition of this heroic act.
Speaking to Khaleej Times, Stone said: "Binu Kumar is a true hero of GEMS Education, whose sincerity, skill and courage are inspiring to us all. When faced with a crisis, he did not hesitate instead, he showed incredible skills to save two lives, without any thought for his own safety. We are so proud of Binu, who proved to the world that personal courage, backed by knowledge and skills, can make a significant difference. With such skilled and brave professionals in our team, we know that our students are in safe hands."
saman@khaleejtimes.com

• India