A couple from British Columbia who recently visited Egypt took action to help two young men in an auto rickshaw.
Bassem Ghabrous and his wife moved to Canada seven years ago so she could pursue her doctorate at the University of British Columbia.
However, they recently returned to Egypt to visit Ghabrous’ family and mother.
Last weekend, the couple was on their way home around 11 p.m. when they turned the corner and saw a rickshaw driving up the ramp.
At that point, Ghabrous said he noticed a fire in the rear of the vehicle.
“It was burning and they couldn’t stop it, they were just going too fast and it was probably just starting,” Ghabrous said.
“They couldn’t notice. And then a car drove by and he tried to warn them.
Ghabrous said he stood behind the rickshaw and honked.
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“They didn’t notice because the fire was at the back and the engine was at the back,” he explained.
Eventually the two men noticed him, stopped at the side of the road and quickly got out. That’s when Ghabrous took action and ran towards the small vehicle, which had a fire extinguisher in the trunk.
The incident was filmed.
“They could have lost their lives, so I was very tense and they were very grateful afterwards and things calmed down,” he added.
Best known for his sweet melodies and infectious smile, the Vancouver-based musician is celebrated by family and friends for his unwavering drive to help others.
“When he ran toward her, she really could have exploded at any moment,” Mary Kostandy, Ghabrous’ wife, told Global News.
“Who would know? The fire was really big.”
In the video, the rickshaw drivers are very grateful for their help.
“In Middle Eastern culture, kissing someone on the head is a way of expressing gratitude in a very respectful way,” Ghabrous said.
He said that while he did not expect to see burning rickshaws any time soon, he would always have a fire extinguisher on hand.
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