Up in smoke: Ornate hearse bursts into flames during funeral in Woodlands

While a wake was taking place under a HDB block in Woodlands on Tuesday (Aug 9) afternoon, an ornate hearse abruptly went up in flames at a carpark next to it.

Multiple videos shared by Facebook page Death Kopitiam Singapore on the same day showed a colourful hearse — a lorry that was decorated with lanterns and flowers — on fire along Woodlands Street 31. 

Several people at the funeral were also seen using buckets of water to help put out the fire while smoke was billowing from the vehicle in photos shared online.

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Fortunately, the casket was not inside the hearse at that time, Death Kopitiam Singapore said, adding that there were no injuries.

Another Facebook video showed that same charred lorry driving through Woodlands Street 31 in the aftermath of the fire. 

Responding to AsiaOne's queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) shared that they were alerted to the fire involving contents of a lorry at about 3.50pm.

Members of the public had extinguished the flames using buckets of water before firefighters had arrived, the SCDF said, adding that the cause of the fire is under investigation.

In another fire safety issue during wakes, several funeral parlours in Singapore recently prohibited the display of LED wreaths for that reason.

These electronic wreaths might cause an electric fire when they are overloaded with microphones and sound systems during funeral ceremonies, AsiaOne reported earlier in May.

Sending these wreaths as a condolence gift — a trend that first started in Taiwan — was panned as being too "festive", Shin Min Daily News reported. 

ALSO READ: Motorcycle bursts into flames along Mandai Ave, rider taken to hospital

chingshijie@asiaone.com