Huge fire overnight in Tuas building storing chemicals disrupts MRT services

SINGAPORE - A fire about the size of a football field at an industrial building in Tuas was brought under control by firefighters from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) early on Wednesday morning.

The SCDF was alerted to the fire at 11 Tuas Link 1 around 2.05am, dispatching 30 emergency vehicles and about 100 firefighters from two stations and the special rescue unit to restrict its spread.

The building is occupied by Megachem, a wholesaler and distributor for speciality chemicals. The SCDF said chemicals were stored on the premises, without revealing any information on the cause of the fire.

Five water and foam jets and two unmanned firefighting machines were deployed in what the SCDF said would be an extended operation. The fire was brought under control at around 6.15am, after which firefighters conducted damping down operations to prevent the fire restarting.

The SCDF said one firefighter was taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital after he experienced giddiness during the firefighting operation. He was later discharged in a stable condition.

Members of the public were advised to avoid the area.

Train services between the Tuas Link and Tuas West Road stations on the East-West MRT line were disrupted on Wednesday morning for nearly two hours. They resumed at around 7.20am.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.