NSF firefighter dies after falling unconscious at Henderson Road fire

SINGAPORE - A firefighter from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) who was serving his full-time national service died after falling unconscious earlier on Thursday when putting out a fire in a unit in Henderson Road.

In a statement on Thursday evening, SCDF said the NSF fell unconscious in the kitchen area of the fourth-floor Housing Board flat which caught fire.

“His crew immediately brought him out of the unit and administered cardio-pulmonary resuscitation on him. An SCDF ambulance crew at the scene also used the automated external defibrillator on him and conveyed him to Singapore General Hospital. He was pronounced dead at the hospital,” it said.

“SCDF and his teammates are very saddened by his death, and extend our deepest condolences to his family. The NSF firefighter was part of the first response crew for this fire incident, and was bravely carrying out his mission of protecting and saving lives and property,” it said.

In a Facebook post, the SCDF said it was alerted to the fire at 91 Henderson Road, in Bukit Merah, at about 11.10am on Thursday.

It added in the statement on Thursday evening that when SCDF arrived at the scene, the fire was raging inside the unit and the corridor was filled with smoke.

SCDF firefighters, donning breathing apparatus, had to force their way into the smoke-logged unit with two water jets to engage the fire.

In a video posted on social media that was taken from a neighbouring estate, plumes of smoke can be seen rising from the unit.

SCDF said it is providing assistance and support to the family of the deceased firefighter. Investigations are ongoing.

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