A 31-year-old bus driver has been hailed by the mayor of Luxembourg City for his 'act of civic courage' after intervening to save a man's life on Tuesday.

Fernand Collet was on the scene when a man set himself on fire at the 'Royal Hamilius' stop in the heart of the capital on Tuesday. After witnessing the incident, the bus driver grabbed an extinguisher and rescued the desperate man.

On Thursday, Lydie Polfer, mayor of Luxembourg City, and Serge Wilmes, member of the municipal executive, warmly thanked Collet for "his act of civic courage carried out with a cool head" to help another person.

Collet has been a bus driver with the capital's bus service for eight years and has become, in Mayor Lydie Polfer's words, an example to follow for all his colleagues and the 4,300 employees who work for the City of Luxembourg every day.

"He behaved in an exemplary manner, and we wanted to highlight this," Wilmes explained.

The driver was in a state of shock on Tuesday morning and was advised to take the rest of the day off.

According to Wilmes, Collet reassured the municipal authorities that he does not need mental health support and that he is doing "very well at the moment". He returned to work on Wednesday.

The man Collet saved remains in critical condition in hospital with severe burns.