3 climb out of windows, stand on HDB ledges to escape fire in Tampines

Three people were seen standing on a window ledge after a fire broke out in a fifth-storey unit at Block 872A Tampines Street 86 on Sunday night (Oct 15).

Stomp contributor Krys, a resident at the block, alerted Stomp to the incident and shared a video of three people standing and squatting on window ledges as smoke was seen billowing out of the unit.

"We were alerted to the fire after 9pm," said the Stomp contributor.

"I don't know why the people were on the ledge but surely their initial reaction was to just come out from the nearest exit."

In response to a Stomp query, the SCDF said they were alerted to the fire at about 9.10pm.

"The fire involved the contents of a living room in a unit on the fifth floor," an SCDF spokesperson said.

"SCDF conducted forcible entry into the unit and extinguished the fire using a water jet."

The SCDF said they rescued two people who were standing on the window ledge outside the kitchen and bedroom windows of the affected unit using an aerial rescue platform.

Another person who was initially standing outside the bedroom window ledge had climbed back into the unit and was brought to safety by SCDF firefighters through the unit's front door.

The three of them were taken to Singapore General Hospital.

About 15 people were evacuated from the neighbouring units by SCDF.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the fire had likely originated from the batteries of two personal mobility devices (PMDs) that were being charged in the living room of the flat.

"SCDF would like to remind the public on the prevention of PMD/PAB fires, including not to charge batteries for an extended period of time or overnight charging," the spokesperson said.

"Do not purchase or use non-original batteries."

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This article was first published in Stomp. Permission required for reproduction.