PUBLISHED ONJanuary 26, 2025 5:35 AMByKhoo Yi-HangA fire that broke out at a HDB flat in Punggol resulted in one individual taken to the hospital while 60 residents were evacuated, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) stated in a Facebook post on Sunday (Jan 26).
The fire occurred around 5am this morning at Block 224A, Sumang Lane, and firefighters from Punggol, Sengkang and Tampines Fire Station responded to the incident.
Prior to SCDF's arrival, four persons had already evacuated from the unit.
"Upon arrival, black smoke was emitting from a unit on the seventh floor," the SCDF said. "The fire, which involved a bedroom, was extinguished with a water jet."
As a precautionary measure, about 60 residents in neighbouring units were evacuated by police and SCDF personnel.
One individual, however, was assessed by a paramedic for smoke inhalation and was sent to Singapore General Hospital.
"Preliminary findings indicate that the fire was likely caused by an electrical origin in the bedroom," according to the SCDF.
In its post, the SCDF also reminded the public about good practices to prevent electrical fires.
These actions include not overloading their power sockets with electrical appliances and to switch them off when not in use.
The condition of wires should also be checked regularly and frayed wires should be replaced or repaired immediately.
Wire should not be run under carpets or mats, and should be kept away from hot surfaces, SCDF added.
Members of the public should also refrain from using appliances and electrical plugs which do not bear the safety mark. The SCDF warned that devices and batteries should not be left charging unattended for extended periods of time or overnight.
Earlier this month, a fire broke out in a Hougang HDB flat, resulting in the deaths of three people - a 62-year-old-man, an 18-year-old woman and an unknown third individual, said the police on Jan 13 in response to AsiaOne's queries.
The fire had occurred in a third-floor unit of Block 971 Hougang Street 91 at around 12.40pm, according to a Facebook post by the SCDF on Jan 9.
Firefighters from Sengkang Fire Station and Ang Mo Kio Fire Station responded to the incident and conducted forcible entry into the unit but faced difficulties due to excessive items within the unit.
The three individuals were found inside a bedroom during the firefighting efforts and were pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic.
About 30 residents in the affected block were evacuated during firefighting operations as a precautionary measure. A cat, bird and eight rabbits were also rescued from the blaze.
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khooyihang@asiaone.com
