80 residents evacuated after fire breaks out in Bukit Panjang flat

About 80 residents were evacuated when a fire broke out in a Housing Development Board (HDB) flat in Bukit Panjang on Tuesday (June 23) afternoon.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the fire at Block 532 Jelapang Road just after 2pm, which involved "contents of a bedroom in a unit on the sixth floor."

Fire caught on video

Twitter user Kyra Tayer posted a video showing smoke and flames coming out from the window of the HDB unit.

In her post, she said they were screaming for their neighbours in the building across to leave and "all of us are being evacuated."

[embed]https://twitter.com/clouderella/status/1275312733869584386/video/1[/embed]

Speaking to theAsianparent, Ms Tayer said she first noticed a smell of what seemed to be burning rubber. Thinking it was coming from her home, she then looked around and saw black smoke billowing out from the unit across their block.

She then called 999. She also said there were a mother and a child in another room of the affected unit. "When they looked out their bedroom window we all screamed for them to evacuate because their kitchen was burning."

According to SCDF, some 80 people were evacuated from the affected block, and one person was assessed by a paramedic for smoke inhalation. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Fire safety and evacuation tips

A fire can happen anytime. Therefore, it is important to have an escape plan ready for your family. Here are the things you need to ensure:

• Take the fire drills seriously.
• Everybody should know the shortest and the safest way out of the building.
• Teach your children how to spot fires. When they do so, he/she should tell an adult immediately.
• It is not the time to pick up valuables. Just run out of the building to the fire assembly or a safe area.
• In the event of a fire, the most effective way out is to lay low and move.
• Plan an escape route. Ensure that the route is not blocked. And figure out an alternate escape route in the event that the original escape route is inaccessible.
• Do not use the lifts to evacuate. Exit by the stairs. Go in a single file with an adult at the lead and the children in tow.

If you are trapped in your house during a fire, move to a room with a window. Call 995 and let them know your situation. Open the windows as widely as possible and shout for help. Do not attempt to jump. Do not throw anyone down.

In case of smoke inhalation

Smoke inhalation is one of the leading causes of fire-related deaths.

Smoke inhalation occurs when the victim breathes in the products of combustion during a fire. Carbon monoxide poisoning has been found to be the leading cause of death in smoke inhalation.

In case of smoke inhalation in children:

• Call for help. Singapore emergency ambulance no is 995.
• It is important to drag the child away from the smoke and get him out into the fresh air.
• Have the child sit down until he begins to feel better. Cover him with a blanket.
• After coughing has subsided, offer a glass of water to calm a burning throat.
• Place a cool washcloth over his eyes and forehead.
• Check his breathing. Loosen clothes around the neck and torso to help to breathe.
• If he is unconscious, turn his head to the side to prevent possible vomit from choking him.
• See a doctor as soon as possible for further assessment.

This article was first published in theAsianparent.