SINGAPORE — In the early hours of Friday (21 Jul), the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) responded promptly to a fire at a unit on the 7th floor of Block 618, Bedok Reservoir Road, with firefighters swiftly arriving at the scene.
The blaze, believed to have originated from an electrical source in one of the bedrooms, resulted in significant damage to the unit and triggered the evacuation of about 90 residents from the affected block.
The SCDF received an alert about the fire at approximately 3:40 am. Upon their arrival at the scene, they encountered thick black smoke emanating from the unit on the 7th floor.
The brave firefighters, equipped with breathing apparatuses, ventured into the smoke-filled area to combat the blaze.
The fire, which involved a bedroom and part of the living room, was extinguished by SCDF with a water jet. Due to the intense heat of the fire, the rest of the unit sustained heat and smoke damage.
Fortunately, two occupants of the affected unit managed to evacuate before the SCDF’s arrival, averting potential casualties.
Upon their rescue, both individuals were examined by SCDF paramedics for smoke inhalation. While one of them was immediately transported to Singapore General Hospital for further medical attention, the other declined to be hospitalized.
Preliminary investigation indicates that the fire was caused by an electrical origin in the affected bedroom.
Last month, there was yet another fire incident on the 13th storey of Block 308 in Hougang Avenue 5. According to preliminary investigations conducted by the SCDF, the fire is believed to have been caused by an electrical fault originating in the affected bedroom.
The SCDF reminds the public of good practices to adopt to prevent electrical fires from occurring:
- Do not overload electrical outlets with electrical appliances;
- Always switch off appliances when they are not in use;
- Check the appliance for frayed wires or cracked cords. If observed the appliance should be repaired or replaced. Do not use faulty appliances;
- Do not run wires under carpets or mats and keep wires away from hot surfaces;
- Use appliances and electrical plugs bearing the Safety Mark. The categories of appliances can be found at http://www.consumerproductsafety.gov.sg;
- Do not leave batteries or devices to charge unattended for an extended period of time or overnight.
