Achi news desk-
A BC couple visiting Egypt recently jumped to help two young men in an auto-rickshaw.
Bassem Ghabrous and his wife moved to Canada seven years ago so she could complete her PhD at the University of British Columbia.
However, they recently returned to Egypt to visit Ghabrous’s family and mother.
Just this past weekend the couple were in Cairo and driving home around 11 pm when they turned a corner and saw a rickshaw going up the ramp.
That’s when Ghabrous said he noticed a fire in the back of the vehicle.
“It was on fire, and they couldn’t, they’re going fast and it’s probably just getting started,” Ghabrous said.
“They couldn’t notice it. And then a car drove past and he was trying to warn them.”
Ghabrous said he was behind the rickshaw honking the horn.
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“They didn’t notice it because the fire was in the back and the engine was in the back,” he said.
Finally, the two men noticed, pulled over to the side of the road and quickly got out. That’s when Ghabrous sprung into action, running towards the small vehicle with a fire extinguisher from his trunk.
The incident was captured on video.
“They could have lost their lives so I was very tense and they were so grateful after that and things calmed down,” he added.
The Vancouver musician, best known for his smooth tunes and infectious smile is celebrated by family and friends for an unwavering will to help others.
“When he was running towards him, it could have exploded at any time then and there,” Mary Kostandy, Ghabrous’ wife told Global News.
“Who would know? The fire was very big.”
In the video, the rickshaw drivers are very grateful for the help.
“When you kiss someone’s head in Middle Eastern culture it’s a way of being grateful in a very respectful way,” Ghabrous said.
He said although he doesn’t expect to see any rickshaws on fire soon, he will always have a fire extinguisher ready.
& copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
