News

MetroBus Operator Who Risked His Life to Save a Family from Fire to Receive Award for His Heroism

Dianne Williams
Director of Communications
(314) 982-1440

WHEN: Thursday, Feb. 10, 2011, at 7 p.m.

WHAT: MetroBus Operator Brian Alexander will receive an award for heroism from the City of East St. Louis during tonight’s City Council Meeting.

WHO: Alexander was driving his route Saturday morning when he saw flames coming out of the first floor windows of a home in East St. Louis. He reported the fire and parked the bus. As Alexander went toward the burning residence, a young man came out of the house gasping and coughing. Alexander asked him if there were others inside the house and the nodded that there were others. Both men went the back of the house and the young man went back inside the residence and carried out two young children and a young girl followed. Again, Alexander asked if there were others trapped inside and the resident told him his girlfriend and baby were still inside. Alexander went inside the house which was filled with smoke to find the woman and baby. He could hear the baby crying and found the mother and child and grabbing the mother’s arm, he led them out to safety. The four young children are all under the age of 6. Alexander waited until the fire department and police officers arrived and then he finished his bus route.

WHERE: East Louis City Hall, 2nd Floor — City Council Chambers
301 River Park Drive in East St. Louis, Illinois 62201

MORE: Alexander has been with Metro for six years. He does not consider himself a hero. He said he could not have lived with himself if he had heard that someone did not make it out of the fire. Alexander lost his home to a fire in 2004.