One dead after Choa Chu Kang flat fire, 150 residents evacuated
A fire at a Choa Chu Kang Housing Board flat early on 24 September left one person dead. Firefighters extinguished the blaze, which involved the living room and a bedroom. About 150 residents were evacuated as a precaution. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
SINGAPORE: One person was killed in a fire that broke out early on Tuesday (24 September) in a Housing Board flat at Choa Chu Kang Crescent, Singapore.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) responded to the blaze at around 5:25am. Firefighters from Bukit Batok and Woodlands Fire Stations arrived on-site shortly after being alerted.
According to an SCDF statement posted on Facebook, the fire broke out on the ninth floor of Block 692A. It spread across both the living room and a bedroom of the affected flat.
To gain access, firefighters had to perform a forcible entry into the unit.
The fire was extinguished using a water jet and two Compressed Air Foam backpacks.
Despite efforts to control the blaze, the rest of the flat sustained significant heat and smoke damage.
One person was found in one of the bedrooms during the operation.
Firefighters carried the individual out of the flat, but they were pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic.
SCDF confirmed that no other persons were present inside the affected unit at the time of the fire.
In response to the incident, approximately 150 residents were evacuated from the block as a precautionary measure.
SCDF worked alongside the police to ensure the safety of all residents. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
According to SCDF's 2023 statistics, the total number of fires rose to 1,954, representing an 8.6% increase from 2022's 1,799 cases.
Electrical fires and unattended cooking were the two leading causes, accounting for 597 and 456 cases, respectively.
However, while fire incidents increased, fire-related injuries and deaths showed a significant decline.
SCDF reported that fire injuries fell from 171 in 2022 to 81 in 2023, and fire deaths dropped from eight to three during the same period, with two of these fatal incidents occurred in residential flats.
