Fire breaks out at shophouse in Little India, damages car nearby

A shophouse along Norris Road in Little India caught fire on Monday (Feb 3) morning, damaging at least one car.

Some shophouses in the area — including a spa and a clinic — were also affected, according to netizen Rafiqul Islam Mamun who posted a video of the incident on Facebook group Complaint Singapore.

The shophouse, located at 31 Norris Road, could be seen smothered in thick smoke that blanketed two neighbouring units.

Loud, sharp sounds could then be heard as the windows suddenly shatter, sending glass shards flying everywhere as the flames grew.

Multiple police officers could also be seen fighting the fire with fire extinguishers.

Several vehicles were also seen in front of the affected shophouse, which Rafiqul said sustained damages.

In an update from Rafiqul at around 11.30am on Feb 3, he shared that SCDF firefighters were using a hose to extinguish the flames at the shophouse.

The police had cordoned off the scene with tape and evacuated those in the immediate vicinity, watching the firefighting efforts from a distance.

According to a statement on Facebook, SCDF confirmed that they were alerted to the fire at about 11.15am.

SCDF quickly deployed two water jets on the shophouses' exterior to prevent the fire from spreading further, while another was used to extinguish the flames inside the shophouse. Within an hour, the flames were extinguished.

SCDF said that as a result of the fire, the adjacent shophouses sustained heat and smoke damage. And a car that was parked in front of the affected shophouse was also damaged by the fire. 

The agency added that there were no reported injuries and the cause of the fire is still under investigation. 

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kristy.chua@asiaone.com