PUBLISHED ONApril 08, 2025 7:08 AMByHoon Jeng Jee[UPDATE April 8, 9.45pm]
The police said in a statement to AsiaOne that a 10-year-old girl passed away in a hospital after the fire at a River Valley shophouse on Tuesday (April 8).
15 other children aged between six and 10 along with six adults aged between 23 and 55 were also taken to hospitals, the police added.
Based on preliminary investigations, the police do not suspect foul play and are continuing with investigations.
[UPDATE April 8, 5pm]
A 10-year-old girl has died and 19 others were injured after a fire occurred in a River Valley shophouse on Tuesday (April 8).
Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam confirmed the death during his address at Changi Airport, where he welcomed the Operation Lionheart contingent that returned home from search and rescue efforts in Myanmar.
[UPDATE April 8, 4.15pm]
A child has died and 19 others were injured after a fire occurred in a River Valley shophouse on Tuesday (April 8).
In the latest Facebook update by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), another adult has sought medical assistance from SCDF. 20 people, including five adults and 15 children, have been taken to hospitals by SCDF.
One of the children is the son of an Indian political leader, according to The Times of India.
Eight-year-old Mark Shankar, whose father Sri Pawan Kalyan leads the Jana Sena party, sustained injuries to his hands and legs during the fire, the outlet said. It added that the boy experienced respiratory complications due to smoke inhalation.
A child has died and 18 others were injured after a fire occurred in a River Valley shophouse on Tuesday (April 8).
According to Lianhe Zaobao, three children were taken unconscious to the hospital, where one of them died.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a Facebook post that it was alerted to a fire at 278 River Valley Road at 9.45am.
According to Google Maps, the shophouse is an Orange Mood Group education centre that offers various courses for children.
In a Facebook video from Bae Bay, workers in bright safety vests can be seen on a metal scaffolding as they carry down children sitting on the third-storey window ledge.
Heavy plumes of smoke can be seen gushing out from all four windows of the shophouse's third floor.
In its Facebook post, SCDF said it deployed rescue ladders and a Combined Platform Ladder to rescue the rest of the stranded persons on the ledge.
At the same time, firefighters proceeded to the second and third floor to fight the fire, which was extinguished with three water jets within 30 minutes.
In an Instagram post by ItsRainingRaincoats, the charity for migrant workers wrote: "Quick-thinking migrant workers across the street immediately sprang into action, risking their own lives without safety harnesses.
"Using ladders and scaffolding, they helped evacuate nearly all of the children from a holiday camp located within, turning a moment of panic into one of hope."
According to the Instagram post, a parent who was present at the scene said the workers were the first to act.
SCDF said about 80 persons from the affected shophouse and nearby premises were evacuated.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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